Innovative water solutions for sustainable development International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 2019. IWMI Strategy 2019-2023: innovative water solutions for sustainable development. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). doi: 10.5337/2019.208

ISBN 978-92-9090-888-3

Copyright © 2019 by IWMI. All rights reserved. IWMI encourages the use of its material provided that the organization is acknowledged and kept informed in all such instances.

Front cover photograph: Prashanth Vishwanathan / IWMI

IWMI STRATEGY 2019-2023

Innovative Water Solutions for Sustainable Development

IWMI Offices

Italy Nepal

India Myanmar USA Uzbekistan Pakistan Egypt Lao PDR Ethiopia Ghana Sri Lanka (H)

South Africa

A Short History of IWMI

1984 2001 2002 2011 IIMI established Launch of the Establishment Start of CGIAR Research Program in Sri Lanka Comprehensive of IWMI-Tata on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) Assessment partnership of Water 1991 Management Start of the CGIAR 2012 2017 Joined in Agriculture Challenge Program on Stockholm 2nd phase the CGIAR Water and Food (CPWF) Water Prize of WLE

1990 2000 2010

1996 2005 2008 Broadened mandate: IWMI confirmed Comprehensive became the International as the 5th International Assessment of Water Water Management Organization Partner Management in Agriculture Institute (IWMI) (IOP) of the Ramsar completed: Water for Food, Convention on Wetlands Water for Life

Message from the Board Chair and Director General

oday’s IWMI has emerged from a relatively small Importantly, our new strategy seeks to hold a clear line of sight international institute established 35 years ago to to impact. It calls for IWMI to expand and deepen its impact Tconduct research on how to improve the performance by combining research with data to build and enhance of irrigation systems. From an initial focus on irrigation knowledge, information services and products; to strengthen management, our mandate broadened to include larger capacity and convene dialogue; and to deliver actionable aspects of water management for agriculture and its essential policy analysis for better water management. It recognizes contribution to food security and poverty eradication. Through that impact at scale cannot simply involve replicating the research, dissemination, field-level application, and strategic application of solutions, but rather must encompass complex alliances with national and international partners, IWMI has processes of systemic change that reflect interdependencies become the world’s foremost international knowledge center among water, land and ecosystems and across water-using for water, food and the environment. sectors.

Building on this very strong foundation, IWMI is now poised Our strategic planning process has been informed and to take its agenda to the next level. Our work on the use and inspired by extensive consultations over the last year with management of water for agriculture will continue unabated, IWMI’s staff and its Board and management, and incorporates but will be embedded within a broader framework aimed feedback from key stakeholders and external partners. at addressing in a comprehensive way the world’s most Spearheaded by the work of two IWMI staff working groups pressing water-related challenges: How will food security be on Emerging Challenges and Impact, these consultations achieved for the world’s expanding population while lowering have encouraged spirited debate and captured an emerging the environmental footprint of food systems and conserving consensus on IWMI’s unique, exciting and essential role over ecosystems? How will the world adapt to and mitigate climate the next several years. We are grateful to all the IWMI staff change and build resilience to disasters and disruption? who contributed to the development of this strategy and in How will growth become sustainable and inclusive, with particular to Mark Smith, IWMI’s Deputy Director General for benefits shared to overcome inequalities? To that end, we will Research for Development, who led the overall effort. shape our research around three strategic programs, each supported by excellent science and digital innovation: Water, We believe this strategy provides a truly exciting opportunity Food and Ecosystems; Water, Climate Change and Resilience; to combine IWMI’s strong foundations and capabilities with and Water, Growth and Inclusion. an emerging global agenda based on new systemic thinking. On behalf of the Board of Governors of IWMI, we are proud to Going forward, our work will be guided by our new mission: present this strategy to the global community. to provide water solutions for sustainable, climate-resilient development. IWMI will expand and intensify its efforts to deliver water solutions and to bring about broad, systemic change. Indeed, the key thread running through the strategy Roberto Lenton is one of enabling transformational change in water Chair, IWMI Board of Governors management. Our broader focus will enhance IWMI’s long- standing concentration on agricultural water management, and will continue to involve an extensive web of strategic alliances with fellow CGIAR centers and other national and Claudia Sadoff international partners across the world. Director General

CONTENTS

A Transformative Agenda for Water 1

IWMI 4 Vision and Mission 4 IWMI in the CGIAR System 5 IWMI’s Values 6

Tackling Global Water Challenges 7

IWMI’s Strategy 11 Keystones for Change 13 IWMI’s Strategic Programs 14 Water, Food and Ecosystems 14 Water, Climate Change and Resilience 15 Water, Growth and Inclusion 16 Water Data Science and Digital Innovation 18

Moving to Action and Impact 21 Designing Programs for Impact 21 Reaching Out: Expanded Partnership Models 24 Mission-Oriented Research for Development 25 Communication – Stepping Up in the Global Dialogue 27

A Transformative Agenda for Water

s global economic output continues to growth and urban development. Global demand expand, the consumption of water and for freshwater has grown fourfold in 60 years, a Aother natural resources grows relentlessly. trend that cannot be sustained. Water scarcity is The results are increasingly visible as water over- becoming a binding constraint on development, abstraction, land and water degradation, climate sharpening trade-offs across the many uses and change and looming extinction crises. These users of the resource. environmental impacts are accelerating and converging in ways that directly affect people and It is not only the productive uses of water that economies, creating interconnected risks that are are fundamental to well-being, but also the unprecedented in human history. management of water-related risks. Water scarcity, increasing frequency of floods and droughts, and water pollution hold back productivity and development, aggravate poverty and inequality, and exacerbate food scarcity, conflict, vulnerability and x4 fragility. These extreme weather events and water crises, along with the failure of climate change Global demand for freshwater mitigation and impending threats of biodiversity has grown fourfold in 60 years collapse, were all ranked as top global risks for 2019, threatening the integrity of vital systems linking the well-being of people and the planet. Water runs through these interconnected challenges. Where in the past they could have been Our future well-being hinges on transformation: mitigated one at a time, solutions that work across from convergence of stresses and risks to a interacting chains of cause and effect are needed future of sustainable, climate-resilient and now. How societies safeguard and manage water inclusive development. Water is a connector resources must change as a result, and soon. Water and often a currency of exchange in the trade- is essential for food security, human health and offs that are inherent in these alternative biodiversity, and also for energy supply, industrial transformative pathways. How societies safeguard and manage water must change, and soon.

1 A Transformative Agenda for Water

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is shift toward sustainability, and socially inclusive the world’s agreed roadmap for transformation. and equitable development. The indispensable role of water management in building this future is The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals recognized in a variety of ambitious international (SDGs) represent an unprecedented aspirational policy statements and initiatives:

SDG 6 The High Level Panel The New Urban Agenda, Ensure availability on Water report adopted by and sustainable “Making Every Drop Count”, the United Nations management of water launched in 201 General Assembly in 2016 and sanitation for all

Paris Agreement Global International Decade Sendai of the United Nations Commission for Action: Framework Framework Convention on Water for Sustainable for Disaster on Climate Change Adaptation, Development, 201-202 Risk (UNFCCC) 201-2019 Reduction 2015-2030

Water makes essential contributions across the SDGs.

Water makes essential contributions across the Sustainable development that fulfils the SDGs. Solutions for water management underpin transformative ambitions of the SDGs is the SDGs for ending poverty (SDG 1), and ensuring unimaginable without strengthened water food security (SDG 2) and good health (SDG 3). They management. Water solutions are needed at all are needed for securing access to energy (SDG levels, from homes and farms to industries and 7), inclusive industrialization (SDG 9), and making cities, to nations and international river basins. cities safe and resilient (SDG 11). Managing water This will take the combined effort of effectively demands empowering women and girls governments, civil society, the private sector, (SDG 5), and helps build peace and security for the inter-governmental system and the communities and countries (SDG 16). It is vital for research community, of which the International conserving terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15) and Water Management Institute (IWMI) forms an coasts and oceans (SDG 14), and adapting to the important part. impacts of climate change (SDG 13).

2 Photo: Apollo Habtamu / IWMI

International Water Management Institute

VISION MISSION RESEARCH

A water secure world To provide water solutions for Science for a transformative sustainable, climate-resilient agenda development

WMI is a research-for-development (R4D) we combine research with data to build and organization, with offices in 13 countries and a enhance knowledge, information services and Iglobal network of scientists operating in more products, strengthen capacity, convene dialogue than 30 countries. For over three decades, our and deliver actionable policy analysis to support research results have led to changes in water the implementation of solutions for water management that have contributed to social and management. economic development. IWMI’s value proposition is unique. It rests on our track Based on evidence and knowledge drawn from record of more than 30 years of rigorous, solutions- our science, innovative technologies and testing of oriented water management research, built on long- business models, IWMI works with governments, term partnerships at local, country and regional levels, farmers, water managers, development partners a sustained field presence across Africa and Asia, and businesses to solve water problems and and recognized through the award of the prestigious scale up solutions. Together with our partners, Stockholm Water Prize in 2012.

Vision and Mission

IWMI’s vision is a water secure world. quality of water for production, livelihoods, health and ecosystems, achieved with an acceptable level of water- A water secure world is one where the immense related risks to people, environments and economies. productive and destructive potential of water is IWMI’s mission is to provide water solutions for managed for the benefit of all. To IWMI, water security sustainable, climate-resilient development. We means the availability of an acceptable quantity and research, demonstrate and catalyze the delivery of

Agriculture is by far the largest user of water globally. Efficient use of water in agriculture is essential.

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effective, innovative and inclusive water solutions. Our and policy innovations to navigate key trade-offs in solutions build on our commitment and capacity to decision making, explore new business models, and to deliver cutting-edge scientific, technical, institutional identify and support essential reforms.

IWMI in the CGIAR System

IWMI is a CGIAR Research Center. CGIAR, a global system to address the world’s urgent challenges research partnership for a food-secure future, identified as critical to a sustainable and resilient aims to use new knowledge and innovation future. It calls for a sustainability transformation, to spearhead and accelerate a ‘food systems a nutrition transformation, a genetics revolution, revolution’ to meet the SDGs. a social and economic transformation, and an information revolution. IWMI’s leadership and participation in the CGIAR Research Programs directly support these goals.

IWMI leads the CGIAR Research Program on Water, > 30 years Land and Ecosystems (WLE), which – in collaboration with other CGIAR centers and partners – develops, track record of water disseminates and catalyzes solutions for sustainable management research and resilient land and water management. IWMI is also a partner in the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security The water and food challenges are closely (CCAFS); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); entwined and inseparable. Agriculture is by far and Fish Agri-Food Systems (FISH). Through these the largest user of water globally. Thus, efficient CGIAR Research Programs, and collaboration in the water use in agriculture is essential, if the global CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture and CGIAR water challenge is to be met. At the same time, Collaborative Platform for Gender Research, IWMI ensuring the availability, reliability and quality of researches complex, water-related challenges in food water is essential for efficient agriculture and for systems and their solutions. The Institute’s role in food security. IWMI’s work on robust solutions for the CGIAR Research Programs delivers knowledge water management underpins CGIAR’s agriculture- and innovation that is vital for ensuring effective food focused vision of a world free of poverty, hunger systems, integrating more water-efficient and cleaner, and environmental degradation. less-polluting production, climate-smart and resilient agriculture, restoration of degraded landscapes, and The CGIAR System 3-Year Business Plan (2019-2021) providing support for governance reforms, women’s calls for innovation to transform the global food empowerment and inclusion of youth.

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IWMI’s Values We focus on research for development that generates benefits for people living with poverty, and for members of vulnerable communities and disadvantaged groups in developing countries.

IWMI is committed to ensuring:

Integrity Equality Dignity Excellence Collaboration Trust and Gender equality, ero tolerance Relevant, Partnerships accountability, diversity for harassment, high-quality, for delivering respecting and social intimidation independent sustainable, privacy and data inclusion or discrimination and objective efficient and protection in our research equitable research, solutions partnerships and workplace

Photo: Hamish John Appelby / IWMI

Tackling Global Water Challenges

Three of the world’s most pressing challenges set the stage for this IWMI Strategy:

FOOD CLIMATE GROWTH

How will food security How will the world adapt to How will growth become be achieved for the world’s and mitigate climate change, sustainable and inclusive, expanding population and build resilience with benefits while lowering the environmental to disasters shared to overcome footprint of food systems and disruption? inequalities? and conserving ecosystems?

e will not resolve these challenges under increasing pressure to increase productivity successfully without achieving and and reduce their impacts on water supplies. Wsustaining water security. Solutions for water security must therefore address complex In response, IWMI will expand and intensify its and often competing demands. Water scarcity efforts to deliver water solutions, building on its poses threats felt across sectors and water users, long-established expertise in agricultural water as there is an increase in competition for water to management to bring about broad, systemic change. supply agriculture, industry, energy and ecosystems, as well as for water supply and sanitation in Why are solutions for water security essential for human settlements, particularly in rapidly growing each of these challenges? towns and cities. Climate variability and change greatly compound these threats by creating Food and ecosystems uncertainty and disruptions in water availability. By 2050, global food production will need to increase Water pollution, which is growing rapidly in both by 60 to 100%, compared to levels in 2005, to keep volume and virulence, adds yet another layer of pace with expected demand. During this same complexity to the challenge of securing adequate, period, water consumption in other sectors, such safe water resources. Since agriculture accounts for as energy, industry and domestic use, is set to rise approximately 70% of global water withdrawals (a by 55% globally. Rising competition for water will figure rising to 80% in Africa and Asia), irrigated and increase the pressure on farmers to reduce water rain-fed farming systems, in particular, will come withdrawals, even as the demand to produce more

7 Global Water Challenges

60 to100% ~1 billion people increase in global food production derive their livelihoods from rain-fed and will be needed by 2050 irrigated farming in developing countries food accelerates. In response, farmers must boost frequent extreme weather events are already a water productivity in both irrigated and rain-fed reality for the nearly 1 billion people who derive agriculture. Solutions, however, must not restrict their livelihoods from rain-fed and irrigated farming access to safe water for smallholders, women and in developing countries. The risks will increase poor people. On the contrary, water solutions for for jobs that depend heavily on water, of which agriculture must empower women, and reduce risks 95% are in agriculture. How societies choose to and inequality, while raising farm incomes. mitigate and adapt to climate change, whether through shifts in farming systems, land use or Water management beyond the farm also affects energy generation, will also affect water demand the sustainability and resilience of food systems. and allocation. Farms and rural communities, as The availability of water for food depends on well as cities and industries, must urgently prepare its allocation among diverse uses across basins to meet these challenges. Water management and landscapes, on measures to prevent is critical for enabling them to adapt to climate pollution of surface water and groundwater, change, and is therefore an essential priority in and on infrastructure for managing water risks. climate-related investment. Overexploitation of water reduces river flows, depletes aquifers, causes soil salinization – already Disruptions caused by natural disasters, conflict and affecting 20% of the global irrigated land area – and political shocks, often related to climate change, degrades ecosystems, all of these undermining food undermine development. Water can play a central security. An estimated 20% of the world’s aquifers role in these disruptions through droughts and are over-abstracted, and 35% of wetlands worldwide floods, and because water affects the speed and have been destroyed since 1970. As ecosystems effectiveness of recovery efforts. Over 90% of disaster decline, so do the vital services they provide, such victims are affected by water-related hazards. By 2050, as water storage and filtration as well as regulation droughts, floods and hurricanes will have permanently of floods and droughts. Despite their enormous displaced an estimated 150-200 million people. Water, contribution to food and water security, ecosystems disasters and the loss of agricultural livelihoods form are often undervalued in decisions about water use a potent mix, which, together with social unrest and and quality. Solutions are needed that reverse the conflict, make communities more fragile and lead to loss of ecosystems and biodiversity, and curb the political destabilization. Water stress is increasingly degradation of soils, landscapes, aquifers and basins, associated with migration and, as a result, improving while meeting the rapidly rising demand for water water supplies, access and governance is increasingly and natural resources at the same time. a priority within strategies seeking to mitigate social unrest, improve livelihoods and boost resilience. Water Climate and disruption solutions are critical for building resilience in the face of Climate change impacts are felt principally growing disaster risks. through water. Climate change is, in effect, water change. Floods, droughts and damaging storms Growth and inclusion are becoming more frequent, and the retreat The absence of water security undermines growth, of glaciers and sea-level rise are accelerating. affecting the poor and vulnerable people the most. Agricultural communities are particularly The structure of economies, and those who lose and vulnerable; more variable rainfall and more benefit as economic development impacts water

8 Global Water Challenges

150 million 2/3 people will be displaced by 2050 of the global population is expected due to droughts and floods to live in cities by 2050 availability and access, depends on how water is By 2050, two-thirds of the global population will allocated across sectors. With the energy sector, a live in cities. While serving as centers of innovation key driver of growth, responsible for 15% of water and growth, expanding cities also intensify and withdrawals globally (and rising), choices about energy concentrate demands for food, water and energy, development – among thermal, hydropower and and cause water pollution. Climate change and renewable sources, for example – affect agricultural competition for water from the energy and productivity and livelihoods, as well as the availability agriculture sectors could, however, reduce urban of water to cities and ecosystems. To secure water for water supplies by as much as two-thirds. If cities are growth, societies must skillfully manage trade-offs in to be sustainable and resilient, they need solutions the water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus, including to mitigate upstream and downstream water risks, at the international scale within the more than manage wastewater and its impacts on human health, 280 transboundary river and lake basins, and 600 and recover resources from waste. Innovations in the transboundary aquifers worldwide. Institutions need recycling of water (within cities, and between rural new scope, scale and capacity to handle these trade- and urban uses), and the recovery of nutrients and offs, and build on potential synergies while advancing energy from wastewater will, furthermore, spur the inclusion and equality at the same time. emergence of an effective ‘circular’ economy.

Sustainable cities need solutions for managing upstream and downstream water risks.

Photo: Neil Palmer / IWMI Global Water Challenges

IWMI will embed water management research that connects across the SDGs in strategies for the scaling up of solutions.

Photo: Sharni Jayawardena/IWMI

IWMI’s Strategy

IWMI’s Strategy 2019-2023 responds directly to for sustainable development. Our research, at the identified need and demand for innovative, field to basin and regional scales, will address scientifically-tested water management solutions three high-priority water challenges:

FOOD CLIMATE GROWTH

To improve food security To adapt to and mitigate To reduce poverty, and while sustainably climate change while building advance inclusion and managing water resources resilience to water-related equality as agriculture and ecosystems disasters and disruption transforms, energy transitions and urbanization intensifies

IWMIs strategic response to global water challenges is:

FOOD CLIMATE GROWTH

Water, Food Water, Climate Water, Growth Ecosystems Change Resilience Inclusion

o support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable and co-implement, in strategic partnerships with Development, IWMI’s research will focus on policy and practitioner communities, programs to Tscience for a transformative agenda. demonstrate and catalyze systemic change with We will embed water management research that impacts at scale. connects across the SDGs in strategies for the scaling up of solutions. IWMI will expand and further develop coordinated research portfolios – through a series of Research- IWMI’s science will more closely align with national for-Development ‘Missions’ – where rigorous and regional priorities for water security in the scientific research on water security underpins and countries and regions where the Institute works, and influences the scaling up of change. Our research make stronger contributions to global dialogues on will focus on solutions in water management that, policy and financing. It will be designed to connect coupled with better policies, innovations and research to impact. IWMI’s teams will co-design changes in practice, accelerate impact.

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IWMI’s Strategy WATER FOOD CLIMATE GROWTH CHALLENGES Adapt to Improve Promote & Mitigate Food Sustainable Climate Security Growth Change

Conserve Build Achieve Gender Ecosystems Resilience Equality & Water to Societal & Inclusive Resources Disruption Societies

IWMI’S STRATEGIC WATER, PROGRAMS WATER, WATER, CLIMATE FOOD & GROWTH & CHANGE & ECOSYSTEMS INCLUSION RESILIENCE

INNOV ITAL ATIO

DIG N G

A WATER S

O E

V

V E SECURE WORLD I

R T

N N

A E N C N C I E & & E S Q IC U M AL O IT ON Y EC

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Keystones for Change

Science for a transformative agenda links research To deliver water solutions for the 2030 Agenda, with technological, institutional and policy change. IWMI’s science must confront competing demands Success demands new knowledge generated through for water resources as well as coexisting water research that connects across scales, revisits the scarcity and excess, compounded by uncertainty assumptions that have guided water management in and pollution. In the face of these new realities, the past and lowers barriers to change. IWMI will:

WATER WATER WATER MANAGEMENT ENGINEERING ECONOMICS

Expand water planning and Update water engineering Advance water economics management research: research: in a world of finite research: at a time when water against a backdrop of rapid resources, single-use and resources are becoming a change and growing ‘once-through’ water binding constraint to growth complexity, the world needs engineering is no longer and well-being, greater focus more modern and integrated appropriate; this needs to be is needed on the trade-offs, information platforms, replaced by circular water opportunity costs and multi-purpose water planning, systems that recover and externalities of alternative and adaptive management reuse resources, and by water management options, institutions, which together systems that incorporate as well as the policies and enable and deliver technical more non-conventional water incentives that drive water-use and policy solutions that work resources and nature-based efficiency, sustainability, across a wide range of water solutions, adapted to degradation and allocation. possible futures. the scale and capacity of user communities.

To advance the 2030 Agenda, research must help overcome these impediments, progress will overcome barriers to change, while encouraging remain incremental, fragmented and slow. institutions and individuals to act in new ways. IWMI will respond across all of its programs by Poor governance and inadequate data are major integrating better governance, greater equality obstacles to water security. Social exclusion, and empowerment for women, more effective a lack of opportunities for women and youth, incentives, and enhanced efforts to transform and absent or misaligned incentives also cause data into easily accessible and actionable resistance to change. Until ways are found to information.

Science for a transformative agenda links research with technological, institutional and policy change.

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IWMI’s Strategic Programs

IWMI will organize Water, Water, Water, its research around three Food and Climate Change Growth and Strategic Programs : Ecosystems and Resilience Inclusion

DATA SCIENCE AND DIGITAL INNOVATION WILL SUPPORT ALL STRATEGIC PROGRAMS

WATER, FOOD AND ECOSYSTEMS

OUTCOME Key questions:

More sustainable and equitable food systems as a result of water solutions that How can farmers How, and by What role do, How can boost productivity grow more food how much, can and could, competing goals and efficiency, using less water the productivity ecosystems play for food reduce poverty, and incomes in helping production and and conserve of smallholder to achieve and ecosystem ecosystems and farmers be raised maintain water conservation the services through security be balanced and they provide agricultural water achieved management

Agriculture is the engine of food security, the agriculture, including management of groundwater, largest global user of water and, in developing agricultural water pollution, and integration of countries, an important source of employment for inland fisheries in water management for agri- poor people. As competition for water intensifies, food systems. We will expand the application of food systems must become more sustainable and water accounting to support improvements in resilient, and better able to meet the nutritional water productivity, and in basin planning, national needs of growing populations without undermining policy development and water-related investments. the landscapes and ecosystems on which Research will assess the impacts of equality and they depend. Research is needed to enhance women’s empowerment on agricultural water agricultural productivity, develop technologies management and food systems. and policies that promote sustainable agricultural intensification, and identify ways to integrate Ecosystems: IWMI will integrate ecosystem values, nature-based infrastructure into the management services and sustainability into water resource of rural landscapes. allocation and management practices, as well as water infrastructure design and operations. Food: IWMI will provide evidence and data analytics Projects will support the assessment of trade- needed by governments, financing institutions, offs and synergies in planning portfolios of built farmers and other partners making choices about and natural water infrastructure, application agricultural water management technologies, of environmental flows and conservation of development of inclusive business models for biodiversity. We will develop knowledge on smallholder irrigation or reforms in large-scale, the hydrological impacts of restoration and public-sector irrigation. Research will address applications to the design of large-scale programs water solutions for sustainable intensification in for strengthening water security through wetland

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and watershed restoration. IWMI research on governance and incentives for protection the social and economic impacts of ecosystem and restoration of water-related ecosystems degradation will be applied to ensuring that strengthen equality and inclusion.

WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCE

OUTCOME Key questions:

Improved climate change adaptation and mitigation with greater resilience to How can How can water What are the best How can the natural disasters farmers adapt management ways to increase dangers of water and societal to climate help mae preparedness as a ris multiplier disruption through change development for water-related for conflict and increased use more resilient disasters and migration of water-smart reduce riss for in fragile solutions vulnerable communities communities be reduced

Enhanced water resources management and more and allocation in agriculture and across sectors resilient water services are essential for adaptation under future climates, policies and technologies to the adverse impacts of climate change, and for disaster preparedness and response, climate- for strengthening the resilience of communities, smart strategies for water storage and the ecosystems and economies. Research is needed, development of financial remediation schemes for example, on scenarios for water management such as insurance.

Photo: Pieter van Eijk, Wetlands International IWMI’s Strategy

Climate: IWMI will integrate its capabilities for and for the implementation of climate-smart modeling, monitoring and scenario planning agriculture. for surface water and groundwater resources to equip governments and partners to plan Disruption: IWMI will further develop and support and operationalize adaptation to floods, the deployment of flood and drought monitoring droughts and other water-related impacts of and forecasting technologies for improving disaster climate change. Basin modeling tools will be preparedness, and applications for improving and used to assess the hydrological impacts of scaling up risk transfer products for smallholder and plans for climate change mitigation through estate farming. IWMI will integrate data and analytical land-use change or changes in energy tools, research and knowledge on institutions, equality technologies. Research will build knowledge on and inclusion, and facilitate capacity development what works where, and support effective water and dialogue in programs for building river basin governance for climate change adaptation and resilience. Research will enhance knowledge of how mitigation. At farm level, IWMI’s research on water relates to social, economic and environmental irrigation and soil water management will be drivers of migration, and promote the use of this applied to strengthen gender responsiveness evidence in policies on migration.

WATER, GROWTH AND INCLUSION

OUTCOME Key questions:

Enhanced growth resulting from more inclusive water governance together with What threat How does water How can waste How can water institutions and does water allocation and wastewater governance incentives that scarcity pose in the water- be used as arrangements diminish pollution to sustainable energy-food a resource support and promote growth nexus affect for sustainable transformative more integrated, in developing economic growth agendas, sustainable and economies growth and ensure productive water that women management and men benefit in all uses equally

Water security is key for sustainable and inclusive the dynamics of growth, the implications of water growth, underpinning almost all types of economic resource allocation and water policies for economic activity – from farming to manufacturing, energy development, the roles of institutions and incentives and transport. Water scarcity, floods, pollution in water management, its impacts on gender and and conflict over water all pose threats to people inclusion, and the real or perceived trade-offs and economies. How water is allocated between between growth and sustainability. agriculture and cities or among competing sectors affects growth and the sharing of its benefits across Sustainable growth: IWMI will support the societies. Water management should occupy a transformation to sustainable growth through central place in development plans and strategies, innovation for the circular economy. Research helping to achieve equitable and inclusive growth. will address the use of non-conventional water Research is needed to explain how water affects resources and the development of alternatives to

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conventional, centralized infrastructure to recover groundwater management to help cities reduce nutrients for agriculture and reduce public health upstream and downstream water risks. risks from pollution. Governance and equality: IWMI will address IWMI will further develop and scale up technologies governance across all of its research areas to and business models for resource recovery and identify opportunities to increase the effectiveness reuse from wastewater and sanitation. We will and speed of change in water management, and assess the trade-offs and management of risks in the to make the scaling up of water solutions more water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus, and between successful. Research will analyze the dynamics of urban and agricultural water use, for better planning power, interests and incentives and their impacts of water allocation. At farm level, IWMI research will on decision making on water. We will apply science support business models tailored to local contexts. to support cooperation in transboundary water At the national and basin levels, the Institute will management. IWMI will integrate gender equality and assess how energy choices and technologies social inclusion throughout its portfolio of research affect competition for water and trajectories for for development. Research will address gender growth. IWMI will apply its capabilities for basin and dimensions of technologies and water governance,

Photo: Cristina Gottardi on Unsplash

and build an understanding of how to strengthen the effective incentives for, adoption and scaling up of inclusion of women, youth and marginalized people water-related technologies, changes in governance and in growth. Through its projects, IWMI will increase reallocation of water resources. Research will assess women’s access to decision making while developing the costs and benefits of water risk management knowledge of barriers and effective ways to overcome and application of ecosystem service valuations in them. Projects will integrate mentoring of women decision making on water allocation and infrastructure and youth leaders so that they can contribute fully to investments. Cost-benefit and impact evaluation developing and implementing water solutions. methodologies will be more systematically applied to strengthen policy analysis in IWMI’s research. The Economics and incentives: IWMI will expand the Institute will make available enhanced capabilities in development and application of economics research hydro-economic modeling to governments and other across its programs to identify the impacts of, and partners to support decision making.

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WATER DATA SCIENCE enhance knowledge needed by decision makers AND DIGITAL INNOVATION and investors. IWMI’s Strategic Programs will seek to build on new technologies and services for data Lack of, and poor or unequal access to, water collection, management and analysis, as well as data hold back the world’s ability to respond to to innovate new approaches for developing and growing water challenges and to meet the SDGs. delivering actionable information to users. Water data are often insufficient, are of uncertain quality, are not being shared or simply do not exist IWMI will develop new partnerships with leaders in many developing countries. Yet, technologies for in digital innovation and developers of cutting- data collection—such as satellites, virtual sensors edge “Fourth Industrial Revolution” technologies to and mobile phone applications—are generating ensure these meet the needs and are accessible vast quantities of information on the world’s river in the countries where it conducts research. The systems, aquifers, watersheds and freshwater Institute will develop an open-access, web-based ecosystems at unprecedented rates. Research and data platform with the goal of making integration of new data-driven products and services are needed data from Earth observation, geo-spatial analysis, for governments, businesses, water managers and hydrometeorological monitoring and hydrological millions of farmers around the world to reap the modeling faster, easier and directly available to benefits of this deluge of water information. farmers, water managers, planners and businesses. IWMI will work with partners to identify the most IWMI recognizes that, because of both the pressing data and knowledge needs for different complexity of the 2030 Agenda and the speed of contexts and challenges. Likely areas of focus will current advances in technology, now is the time to include digital extension services for agricultural seize the potential of the increased availability of water management, basin management and water data and big data tools to catalyze change. monitoring, and reporting and verification for The Institute intends to strengthen the role it plays large-scale programs and investments. IWMI will in putting emerging technologies and the big data use these capabilities to undertake regional water revolution to work for water security. There is a security assessments, starting in Africa, assisting need to identify how to channel multiple streams governments to prioritize, implement and monitor and sources of data into products that create or water resource policies and investments.

The water-data cycle

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IWMI’s Contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals

Water, Water, Water, Food & Climate Growth & Ecosystems Change & Inclusion Resilience

Clean water and sanitation 6 Affordable and clean energy Decent work Gender and economic equality 7 growth 5 8 Industry, Quality innovation and education infrastructure 4 9

Good health Reduced and well-being 3 10 inequalities

Sustainable Zero 2 11 cities and hunger communities

12 No poverty 1 Responsible consumption and production 17 13 Partnerships Climate for the goals 16 14 action 15 Peace, justice Life below and strong Life on land water institutions

19 IWMI’s Strategy

Priorities in Regional Water Strategies Addressed in IWMIs Strategic Programs

Water, Food Water, Climate Change Water, Growth Ecosystems Resilience Inclusion

Water-use efficiency Water scarcity Water planning accounting productivity Water risk management Wastewater reuse Protect ecosystems Adaptation Water pollution Sustainable water for food Disaster preparedness Nexus trade-offs Demand management resilience Water information systems Integrated Water Resources Transboundary cooperation Management (IWRM) Water for cities Improve agricultural Research partnerships livelihoods interstate cooperation Water storage Institutional development groundwater Equity inclusion Prevent water depletion in allocations Protect clean up rivers Harmonizing cross-sectoral policies Stakeholder involvement Women youth in agriculture

IWMI’s Strategy Supports

MIDDLE EAST AFRICA NORTH AFRICA ASIA LATIN AMERICA

The African Water The Strategy Response to the 201 Action on water Resources Management for Water Security Yangon Declaration resources called for Priority Action in the Arab Region of the 3rd Asia-Pacific in the Initiatives Programme 201-202, to Meet Water Summit, of the VII Summit the Malabo Declaration the Challenges the 201 Asia Water of the Americas 201, on Accelerated and Future Needs Development and the priorities of Agricultural Growth for Sustainable Outloo and national the Comit Regional de and Transformation Development and basin-level Recursos Hidrulicos and the aspirations 2010-2030 of plans of action (CRRH) of the of Agenda 203 the Arab Ministerial Central American of the African Union Water Council Integration System (SICA)

20

Moving to Action and Impact

Designing Programs for Impact

Accelerated Problem-solving Mission-oriented Evidence-driven impact at scale partnerships research communications

cience for a transformative agenda sets a governments and others to address overarching high bar for IWMI’s Strategy 2019-2023. Our policy, institutional and investment constraints, and Sresearch must engage system-wide innovation to implement the solutions needed to reach national, involving interlinked technological, institutional and regional or global development goals. Programs policy change across scales. This level of ambition is articulating local to higher levels make links between essential. Without it, IWMI will fall short of fulfilling its local research and change at scale stronger. mandate of research for development, its vision of a water secure world and its mission to provide IWMI applies knowledge from innovation systems water solutions for sustainable, climate- to design programs for impact, building on its resilient development. past successes in facilitating linkages along impact pathways. We work alongside people Impact at scale demands more than replicating and institutions involved in change to mobilize, the use of technologies and solutions. With the combine, adapt and put innovation and knowledge many interdependencies among water, land and from research into use. During the period ecosystems, and across sectors, impacts emerge 2019-2023, IWMI will continue to reinforce and through complex systemic change. Therefore, expand impact-driven planning throughout the IWMI designs programs for impact that integrate organization. We will design and implement our technology, policy and practice to shape wider research through partnerships and cooperation plans and investments, and to catalyze change. with coalitions that come together to solve problems. Impact at scale, based on both theory documented by CGIAR and on IWMI’s own and others’ lessons Even more is demanded today, however, from research and practice, requires working at than impact at scale. There is also urgency. both local level and higher levels. At local level, our The pace of change is quickening, resource research programs collaborate with local problem- constraints are tightening and there are costs solving platforms and institutions to design and to inaction. Therefore, IWMI aims to learn, as we test water solutions. Through engagement at basin, create programs for impact, how to accelerate national and higher levels, they cooperate with implementation of solutions for water security.

21 Moving to Action and Impact

By strengthening focus on accelerated, impact-driven information services with capacity building, learning, programs and projects, IWMI increasingly operates dialogue and policy analysis, and providing advice not only as a research institute, but also – reflecting to help governments, water management agencies, our title and research-for-development mandate – as farmers and businesses find and implement effective a management institute, coordinating research and ways of overcoming their water challenges.

Photo: Michelle Ng / IWMI

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERING need to transform data into useable, targeted and TRANSFORMATION accessible information.

Water data, knowledge and information are a vital Opening access to water data and usable information foundation for building water security, and for scaling for integrated water management can give countries up and accelerating change. With data, governments transformative capabilities for using evidence in policy can monitor water resources, identify risks and assess making, building consensus and making the decisions options or innovations for policy, regulation and needed to intensify and accelerate investment and change. Businesses can make informed decisions action on water security. IWMI integrates research on on water management, investments and new hydroinformatics, application of digital technologies, technologies. Information empowers farmers to make and development and delivery of new data-driven choices that increase production, raise incomes and products and services in designing and implementing reduce environmental impacts. It empowers citizens its programs for impact. By lowering the current to take part in planning how water is managed and barriers to data and information, we will help harness builds accountability for all water users. With rapid the global expansion in data access and availability for advances in data technology, however, there is a scaling up transformations in water security.

22 Moving to Action and Impact

DELIVERING IMPACT THROUGH CGIAR IWMI builds cooperation among CGIAR centers RESEARCH PROGRAMS and networks of partners to develop, test and apply knowledge and innovation in processes Through its leadership of the CGIAR Research of scaling up change. Partnership through WLE Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE), helps IWMI to ensure that its solutions are socially

Photo: Hamish John Appleby / IWMI

IWMI integrates research on hydroinformatics, application of digital technologies, and development and delivery of new data-driven products.

inclusive, and to synthesize and apply knowledge change. Our role in WLE and other CGIAR to support decision making at increased scale. We Research Programs in which IWMI is a partner is will cooperate through WLE on key priorities in essential to ensure that our research – relating IWMI’s Strategy 2019-2023 to build evidence for, and water resources to food systems, climate change, promote action on, solutions for water security. natural resource governance and equality – contributes to CGIAR’s impacts on transformation CGIAR Research Programs provide a cornerstone of food systems for sustainable, inclusive and for applying research to policy and practice resilient development.

23 Moving to Action and Impact

Reaching Out: Expanded Partnership Models

Over decades of experience in research for address large-scale development challenges. Such development, IWMI has learned that no one partnerships simplify engagement of researchers achieves impact at scale by acting alone. Research and knowledge providers in processes of solving contributions to innovation systems are only possible complex problems. They put the collective capabilities through partnerships. IWMI prioritizes partnerships of coalitions to work in applying research to that put in place the relationships needed to link demonstrating solutions and shaping impacts at scale. research to local change and innovation, and to policy and institutional change at national, regional IWMI uses its unique and extensive field-based and global levels. presence of water scientists, its long-term partnerships with governments, researchers, IWMI’s partnerships build on research collaborations nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the private among scientists to embrace implementers sector and development practitioners, as well as its in governments, civil society, businesses and membership in CGIAR, to identify other key partners development agencies. Through partnerships, there and prioritize cooperation with coalitions at local, is then continuous collaboration to bring together basin and national levels. Our priority is to deliver technology and practice change to solve problems, research and knowledge services to, and through, all and to support policies and institutional change to these partnerships.

Photo: Jeffery M Walcott / IWMI Moving to Action and Impact

Mission-Oriented Research for Development

R4D MISSIONS of policy and practice change, and investments in water security. Portfolios will integrate cooperation Science for a transformative agenda must be in the CGIAR Research Programs and across actionable. IWMI’s Strategy 2019-2023 will adapt IWMI programs. Portfolios may include capacity mission-oriented research models to link research enhancement and dialogue, new data products, to impact in practice. Research-for-Development knowledge and information services or the promotion (R4D) Missions will focus on resolving specific water of social inclusion and governance reforms. security challenges under IWMI’s Strategic Programs. R4D Missions will ensure IWMI’s programs have clear IWMI will deploy or develop an integrated package of targets and are broad enough to engage partners and knowledge, services and digital innovation to support attract investment for impacts at scale. each R4D Mission. Through these Missions, the Institute will bring consistent and repeatable tools and IWMI will carry out R4D Missions by building services to support governments and other partners programmatic portfolios of activities that combine in developing and implementing solutions to their research and collaboration with partner-led processes water-related problems.

Photo: Samurdhi Ranasinghe / IWMI Moving to Action and Impact

RESEARCH ON IMPACT solutions for water security. We will compile and disseminate what we learn to support R4D Missions will enable IWMI, within its Strategy continuous improvement of research for 2019-2023, to conduct research on change development and partnership practice under processes themselves. The Institute will increase the R4D Missions. We will integrate associated investment in impact assessment and use research know-how and products in knowledge on systems change to identify key lessons on how to and advisory services to help our partner make its strategies for impact at scale more effective. governments, donors, researchers and NGOs to meet the demand to scale up and accelerate IWMI will build an evidence base of what transformations for sustainable and climate- works, where and how, when implementing resilient development.

Partnerships put the collective capabilities of coalitions to work in shaping impacts at scale.

Photo: Hamish John Appleby / IWMI Moving to Action and Impact

Communication – Stepping Up in the Global Dialogue

IWMI will invest in communicating our research and innovation and change achieved through our R4D its impacts, and in knowledge exchange with those Missions. We will make more visible, evidence-driven who use our outputs and knowledge products. contributions to national and international dialogue on Through briefs, opinion articles and the news water, using knowledge from our country programs media, we will promote the uptake of published and field research. We will show strong leadership in results in policy and practice, using our social convening and co-convening events and dialogues media channels to draw increasing attention to our that promote the uptake of science-based evidence in research outputs, products and services. policy development and decision making. Finally, we will showcase how IWMI uses science for a transformative IWMI will proactively champion the global water agenda agenda to support and catalyze the changes needed through thought leadership and advocacy of results, for sustainable and climate-resilient development.

IWMI will convene and co-convene dialogues that promote uptake of evidence in policy development and decision making.

Photo: Hamish John Appleby / IWMI IWMI Offices

SOUTH ASIA WEST AFRICA

New Delhi, India Accra, Ghana Tel: +91 11 25843536 / 25840812 Tel: +233 302 784753/4 Fax: +91 11 25840811 +233 544 088277 Email: iwmi-delhi@cgiar.org Fax: +233 302 784752 Email: [email protected] Anand, Gujarat, India Tel: +91 2692 263816/817 Fax: +91 2692 263816/817 EAST AFRICA Email: [email protected] Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tel: +251 11 6172000/6457222/23 Kathmandu, Nepal Fax: +251 11 6464645/6172001 Tel: +977 1 5542306/5543141 Email: [email protected] Fax: +977 1 5543511 Email: [email protected] SOUTHERN AFRICA Lahore, Pakistan Tel: +92 42 35299504-6 Pretoria, South Africa Fax: +92 42 35299508 Tel: +27 12 845 9100 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

SOUTHEAST ASIA MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Yangon, Myanmar Cairo, Egypt Tel: +95(9)899008011/22/33 Tel: +202 3365 0013 Email: [email protected] Fax: +202 3572 8099 Email: [email protected] Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel: +856 21740928 / +856 771520 +856 771438 / +856 740632-33 USA Fax: +856 21770076 Washington, DC, USA Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 202 862 5600 Email: [email protected] CENTRAL ASIA

Tashkent, Uzbekistan EUROPE Tel: +998 71 237 04 45 Rome, Italy Fax: +998 71 237 03 17 Tel: +39 349 504 7362 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a non-profit, research-for-development organization that works with governments, civil society and the private sector to solve water problems in developing countries and scale up solutions. Through partnership, IWMI combines research on the sustainable use of water and land resources, knowledge services and products with capacity strengthening, dialogue and policy analysis to support implementation of water management solutions for agriculture, ecosystems, climate change and inclusive economic growth. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, IWMI is a CGIAR Research Center and leads the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). www.iwmi.org www.iwmi.org/about/contacts/

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR science is dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. Its research is carried out by 15 CGIAR Centers in close collaboration with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations and the private sector. www.cgiar.org 127 Sunil Mawatha, Pelawatte, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka

Mailing Address: P. O. Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka Tel: +94 11 2880000, 2784080 | Fax: +94 11 2786854 Email: [email protected] | iwmi.org