IWMI Reports

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    Direct seeded rice in Haryana (India) ABY districts: impact and lessons for scaling
    (Report, 2025-05-30) Mutum, Lamnganbi; Mizan, Syed Adil; Bhatpuria, Dhyey; Taneja, Garima; Mitra, Archisman; Gupta, S. K.; Sikka, Alok
    Rice is a staple crop in India, traditionally cultivated using the Transplanted Puddled Rice (TPR) method. This traditional method, while effective and very popular amongst farmers, is highly labour, water, and energy-intensive, that leads to significant groundwater depletion and higher energy usage in pumping groundwater. In response to these challenges, the Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) method has been introduced as a more sustainable alternative. DSR involves sowing seeds directly into the field, eliminating the need for growing and transplanting seedlings. This method, tested in various field trials, promises to have several benefits, including water savings, reduced labour and production costs, higher economic returns, and lower methane emissions. However, the success in farmer fields when adopted at scale outside trials remains to be analysed critically. In that context, this study was commissioned through a MoU with National Project Management Unit (NPMU), Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY). ABY, also known as Atal Jal, is a central sector scheme aimed at sustainable groundwater management with community participation. Launched in December 2019, ABY focuses on improving groundwater management in water-stressed areas across seven states, including Haryana. The adoption of DSR in Haryana has been gradual but promising. The area under rice cultivation in the state has increased significantly over the years, with initial efforts to introduce DSR beginning around 2009. The state government has played a crucial role in promoting DSR by offering financial incentives to farmers. In 2022, an incentive of INR 4000 per acre1 was introduced to encourage farmers to adopt DSR. Given its uptake in Haryana, the objective of this study is to assess the socio-economic and environmental benefits of DSR, identify the challenges, and offer recommendations for scaling up this technology in Haryana and other regions. The study employed a multi-faceted approach including qualitative surveys with stakeholders, focus group discussions, field visits, and a large-scale quantitative survey (sample size is 809) of DSR and TPR farmers across selected districts in Haryana to assess the impact of DSR. These farmer-level sources were complemented by water flow meter data analysis and remote sensing analysis.
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    Characterizing the biophysical conditions for improved planning and designing of locally-led sustainable land management practices: the case in Halaba, Ethiopia
    (Report, 2025-05-16) Girma, R.; Mekuria, Wolde; Moges, A.; Smith, J.; Hallett, P.
    Spatially customized land management strategies are crucial for mitigating land degradation and fostering effective landscape restoration. A deep understanding of local biophysical conditions ensures that interventions are both contextually relevant and impactful, promoting long-term environmental sustainability and delivering socio-economic benefits to local communities. With this consideration, this report, drawing on data collected through field surveys, GIS, and remote sensing techniques, uses Halaba, Ethiopia, as a case study to highlight the region’s varied biophysical conditions and their implications for the design and planning of sustainable land management (SLM) practices. This document is intended for agricultural and natural resource management professionals involved in the design, planning, implementation, and monitoring of SLM practices.
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    Initial market assessment for resilient nature-based water solutions in Wadi Seer, Jordan
    (Report, 2024-12-31) Dabbas, L.; Belhaj Fraj, Makram; Fragaszy, Stephen Russell; Samarasekara, Vidhisha
    This study is a part of the Al Murunah project funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK, and implemented by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its overarching goal is to increase water security in Jordan in the face of climate change and land degradation, particularly targeting Wadi Seer by promoting Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions (RNBWS). To this aim, study explores the market potential for scaling up and scaling out financial mechanisms for RNBWS, specifically focusing on empowering women and youth cooperative enterprises and contributing to spring restoration. The study is guided by the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, which delves into financing options like loans, saving and loans group, and revolving loans for RNBWS initiatives. It aims to understand the barriers to scaling up and out these mechanisms, particularly for vulnerable groups, and develop strategies to overcome them. The key challenges faced by the agricultural finance sector in Jordan include limited access to formal financing, high interest rates, and administrative hurdles. Informal sources dominate, leaving small farmers with few options. To address this drawback, the study identifies priority farming groups, including women-led businesses and youth cooperatives, for targeted financial product development. Financial products for RNBWS projects vary ranging from zero-percent interest loans to savings and loan groups. Testing potential products involved developing different options and assessing feedback on timeliness, risk responsibility, and feasibility. Revolving loans, savings and loan groups, and zero-interest loans emerged as promising candidates for future pilot testing.
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    Creating an enabling environment for agricultural innovation in emerging markets
    (Report, 2025-04-10) Ires, Idil
    Market is the structure for the development and delivery of innovations that are able to address environmental, societal, and economic challenges. The lack of enabling conditions for market development has resulted in low investment levels and economic stagnation, impacting livelihoods in Africa. Although there have been efforts to implement market-driven reforms, challenges such as inadequate policies, weak legal frameworks, transparency issues and bureaucratic inefficiencies pose significant risks for public and private investments and for their potential to reach the target beneficiaries. This situation also discourages development partners and businesses from investing in the region.Technical assistance is crucial to improve the investment climate. This paper presents a framework to help governments create a more conducive environment for agricultural market development and the private sector to navigate through the existing challenges. Traditional technical assistance practices have faced criticism for adopting a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks local contexts. Recently, however, there has been a shift towards more context-based and adaptive assistance, which informs this framework. This framework emphasizes key elements that contribute to an enabling environment, including institutions, such as policies, regulations, and legal frameworks, as well as clear market and regulatory information that help reduce transaction costs. The framework is theoretically based on new institutional economics and political economy approaches. It focuses on assistance in three areas with three categories of delivery partners: policy support to governments, institutional capacity strengthening (especially of National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems) and (agri)business acceleration support to small- and medium-scale enterprises. Through such assistance, this framework seeks to help create an enabling environment for the delivery of innovations that offer solutions to emerging climate, societal and economic crises. These solutions, especially those developed and scaled by the private sector, are targeted toward recipients such as farmers (including women and the youth), marginalized groups, displaced communities, refugees and migrants. The framework utilizes value chain and market development as the primary delivery structures. This framework has guided several recent enabling environment assistance practices under CGIAR’s International Water Management Institute (IWMI). This paper explores these practices and positions CGIAR as a strong technical assistance partner. While this framework offers a systematic approach to analyzing the enabling environment, the technical assistance driven by this framework promotes collaboration and co-creation. It actively engages governments, national research and extension offices, farmers and other stakeholders in influencing policies and business transaction advisories that directly benefit them. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen their capacities to diagnose and overcome enabling environment challenges as they arise. By helping to create an enabling environment for the private sector—especially small- and medium-scale enterprises that innovate and scale—and derisking the investment climate, this framework seeks to strengthen agrifood market systems to foster food security and alleviate poverty.
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    Al Murunah Webinar on High-Resolution Climate Change Downscaling for Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions in the MENA Region
    (Report, 2025-04-10) Abeyrathna, Wasudha Prabodhani; Fragaszy, Stephen Russell; Samarasekara, Vidhisha
    The Al Murunah project seeks to improve water security in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) by integrating nature-based solutions for water and agricultural water management strategies (Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions, RNBWS). The “High-Resolution Climate Change Downscaling for Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions in the MENA Region” webinar showcased the Al Murunah Project’s groundbreaking findings and insights that can shape the future of sustainable water management in the region. The webinar’s aims were to: 1) disseminate technical findings from high-resolution, bias-corrected climate change downscaling activities (full report and data available here) and 2) describe how they are being used in the Al Murunah pilot projects and can be used more widely. It focused on how data-driven insights are informing the planning and implementation of resilient nature-based water solutions (RNBWS) demonstration projects in the four pilot basins of Abu Al-Matamir (Egypt), Wadi Seer (Jordan), Ras Baalbeck Basin (Lebanon) and Wadi Al-Faria’a (OPT). The webinar highlighted the need for localized, high-resolution (temporal and spatial) climate data to address the MENA region’s unique challenges. The study data is instrumental not only for sustainable water management but also for driving broader climate resilience initiatives rooted in community engagement. A key highlight of the webinar was the presentation of the Bias-Corrected Statistical Disaggregation (BCSD) method, a cutting-edge approach for generating precise and more accurate climate projections. The model outputs explain the rising intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and droughts, underscore the need for proactive planning and interventions. The importance of partnerships in turning these findings into actionable solutions was also underscored. Local communities play a central role in the project, with their insights ensuring that interventions are context-specific and sustainable, while gender inclusion and diverse stakeholder consultations are critical for equitable outcomes, particularly in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.
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    From waste to value: key insights and lessons learned from biogas initiatives in the Global South
    (Report, 2025-04-02) Somorin, Tosin; Bodach, Susanne; Tripathi, Mansi
    Biogas technology offers a promising pathway for circular bioeconomy transitions in the Global South by turning organic waste into clean energy and nutrient-rich byproducts. Through anaerobic digestion, this approach supports climate mitigation, reduces environmental pollution, and enhances energy access and rural livelihoods. However, large-scale implementation remains limited due to complex barriers spanning political, financial, social, and technical dimensions. Drawing on case studies from Asia and Africa, this report identifies key drivers of successful biogas programs—including strong policy support, financing mechanisms, market development, and community engagement—while underscoring challenges such as fragmented governance, high upfront costs, and low public acceptance. Overcoming these requires integrated strategies that promote enabling environments, capacity building, standardization, and investment readiness. Scaling biogas technologies in low- and middle-income countries can catalyze sustainable development by aligning climate action with inclusive waste management and renewable energy.
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    Irrigated vegetable production interventions in humanitarian emergencies: Mali country deep dive
    (Report, 2024-12-30) Singh, Radhika; Minh, Thai Thi; Schmitter, Petra
    In the context of Mali, a Sahelian country facing challenges of insecurity, political instability, and climate change, irrigated vegetable production (IVP) interventions have the potential to enhance resilience outcomes and reduce the vulnerabilities of households and communities by increasing incomes and improving nutritional outcomes. The recommendations for IVP interventions presented in this document are informed by an understanding of the complex sociopolitical landscape of Mali and address both challenges and opportunities. For this study, a comprehensive research process was undertaken involving 19 key informant interviews with humanitarian organizations working in the country. These interviews were supplemented with insights from a wide range of secondary sources including journal articles and project reports. A rigorous approach was adopted to ensure the validity and reliability of the findings and recommendations. The key recommendations presented here have been carefully crafted to improve the design and implementation of IVP interventions undertaken by humanitarian organizations in emergency contexts in Mali. These recommendations align with the SEADS (Standards for Supporting Crop-related Livelihoods in Emergencies) minimum standards and are intended to complement the SEADS guidance on tools, equipment, and other non-seed inputs as well as impact monitoring and evaluation, thus providing an assurance of quality and relevance. First, it is important to ensure that the design, planning, and implementation of IVP interventions are contextually relevant while being focused on the unique needs of vulnerable communities. Interventions should be designed to address land access issues, especially for women and internally displaced persons. Security levels (safety risks, political instability, and conflict) should be considered when choosing water-lifting technologies, and interventions must be informed by a gender-sensitive approach. Second, mobilizing resources and investments is crucial to complement funding shortages for IVP interventions. This can involve measures like promoting space-efficient vertical gardening, supporting domestic vegetable production to procure less expensive and more suitable seeds for local conditions, and strengthening IVP value chains by linking farmers with local seed suppliers. Third, strengthening organizational capacity for resilience and long-term learning is recommended to enhance the delivery of impactful emergency assistance. This includes adopting a systems approach that considers the socioeconomic and environmental context of the intended intervention and sharing findings among humanitarian actors to foster a learning culture. Finally, improving data and knowledge management is advised for impactful IVP interventions. This could involve housing all groundwater data within an NGO, promoting the ongoing mapping of suitable irrigation technologies, and ensuring that data is freely accessible to all organizations involved in agricultural interventions. These recommendations offer a roadmap for humanitarian organizations, donors, and policymakers who aim to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of IVP interventions in emergency contexts within Mali. They provide a framework for engaging with existing policies and governance structures and contribute to creating an enabling environment for effective interventions.
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    Souss-Massa Online Water Accounting Dashboard: Innovation Package and Scaling Readiness (IPSR) Report
    (Report, 2024-12-30) Al-Zu’bi, Maha; Akpoti, Komlavi; Brouziyne, Youssef
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    High-resolution climate change projections and their adaptation planning implications for small basins in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
    (Report, 2024-12-30) Bergaoui, Karim; Belhaj Fraj, Makram; Abeyrathna, Wasudha Prabhodani; Fragaszy, Stephen Russell; Samarasekara, Vidhisha
    This report collates and synthesizes the findings from comprehensive climate baseline assessments and bias-corrected and statistically downscaled climate projections for four distinct areas: Ras Baalbeck in Lebanon, Abu Al-Matamir in Egypt, Wadi Al-Seer in Jordan, and Wadi Al-Faria’a in the West Bank of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). This study developed models to assess future projected climatological patterns, extreme events, and climate scenarios for these locations. Model outputs have a daily timestep and high spatial resolution (10x10 km). We developed the models using data from the Global Climate Monitoring Products and employing advanced techniques such as Bias Correction and Statistical Disaggregation (BCSD) of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) General Circulation Models (GCMs). Model outputs are available here: https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/SCNQWS The study focused on principal temperature and precipitation indicators of most immediate relevance for water and food security. The Al Murunah project is using the study’s outputs to inform implementation planning of resilient nature-based water solutions (RNBWS) in each area, as well as considerations for their application more widely.
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    Agroecological insights for Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India: a contextual analysis for sustainable transformation
    (Report, 2024-12-30) Malaiappan, Sudharsan; Krishnan, S.; Gadewar, P.; Sharma, H.; Priyadarshini, P.; Thakur, A.; Ganvir, S.; Acharya, P.; Kumar, Gopal; Shijagurumayum, M. S.; Singh, Sonali; Samaddar, A.; Alvi, Muzna; Borah, Gulshan; Sikka, Alok
    This report examines the agroecological, environmental, economic and social dimensions of Mandla district in Madhya Pradesh, India. Agroecological dimensions include recycling, input reduction, soil health, animal health, biodiversity, synergy, economic diversification, co-creation of knowledge, social values and diets, fairness, connectivity, land and natural resource governance, and participation. The report also highlights the challenges and opportunities for sustainable agroecological transformation. Mandla, a tribal dominated district faces challenges such as land degradation, poor soil conditions, poor land productivity, biodiversity loss, and socio-economic disparities. To address these challenges, CGIAR initiative on Agroecology established Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALLs) in Mandla district. The initiative identified key challenges, captured the vision of local communities, assessed existing farming practices, and developed new agroecological practices to address some of the challenges. Local communities recycle resources such as crop residues, animal manure and invasive plant species to prepare compost, farmyard manure and biochar to a limited extent. There is significant increase in synthetic fertilizer use in the last few decades, however some farmers are applying some amount of locally prepared compost, and operating at low input-output conditions, leaving scope of improvement in production with input reduction. The district, predominantly characterized by black cotton soil, faces challenges like soil erosion, low organic content and nutrient deficiencies. Conservation practices such as green manuring, mulching, bunding, silt application, bio-fertilizer, compost application and crop rotation are practiced sporadically to maintain soil health. Cattle and livestock are integral to farming system. Department of Animal Husbandry and local animal health workers are primarily involved in maintaining animal health. Penning, timing open grazing, prohibition of grazing in some areas, and cattle shed flooring are recent introduction for sustainable feeding regimes. The district is rich in natural biodiversity with wide range of flora and fauna, however due to increasing chemical fertilizer use and unsustainable farming practices has led biodiversity loss. Synergy between various faming system, including crop-livestock, agroforestry, NTFP in the landscape need improvement through targeted interventions. Local communities depend on agriculture, NonTimber Forest Products (NTFP), and fisheries for livelihood, contributing to economic diversification, however dwindling natural resources poses risks to the community livelihood. Farmer to farmer interactions, traditional fairs, informal gatherings, seed festivals, farmers field schools, and formal institutions such as NGO’s, government institutions facilitate co-creation of knowledge. Local communities prioritize diverse, nutritious and traditional diets but shrinking production poses a serious threat to dietary diversity. Seasonal festivals and community gatherings also play a key role in maintaining social values and diets. Limited access to resources, market information, transportation, price disparities and monopoly markets are some of the value chain challenges faced by local communities. Community practices such as wage fixing, labour pooling and labour exchange help maintain fairness. However, Connectivity among various food system and value chain actors is weak and need strengthening. Land and natural resource governance is managed by district administration, state forest department, and local communities including gram sabhas and panchayat committees, which usually adhere to traditional tribal practices. Participation of community organizations such as NGO’s, tribal knowledge networks, state agricultural department, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, department of rural development, Farmers producers’ organization, self-help groups, and Joint Forest Management Committee is crucial for agroecological transition. The assessment reveals that while agroecological practices are being practiced in Mandla, they are fragmented and implemented at smaller scale but shows potential for scaling up. National and state policies, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, National Rural Livelihood Mission, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, and local NGO’s can play a pivotal role in agroecological transition. Large scale adoption of agroecology can be achieved by establishing multistakeholder platform, farmers networks and knowledge sharing platforms, access to markets and value chains, capacity building programs, infrastructure and policy support, nature-based solutions, financial mechanisms and incentives, participatory research and trail establishment, inclusive governance structures.
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    Assessing climate loss and damage in the Sundarbans: an exploration of the relevant institutions and policies in India and Bangladesh
    (Report, 2024-12-30) Bose, S.; Joshi, Deepa
    The term ‘loss and damage’ (L&D) refers to the consequences of climate change that transcend people’s ability to adapt to its impacts, either because the impact surpasses their adaptive capabilities or because available adaptation options are inaccessible due to a lack of resources in the community (Bhandari et al. 2022). A Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) was operationalized at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2023. Speed and agility in supporting the affected are key to the success of the Loss and Damage fund (Ahmed et al. 2023). While global organizers focus on streamlining its operational processes, it is not clear whether recipient countries and communities are also being enabled to access, receive, and distribute these funds. How prepared, agile, accountable, and transparent are relevant institutions at the national and sub-national levels? More importantly, how will we measure and compensate loss and damage in socially, economically, and ecologically diverse communities? To provide an initial understanding of these questions, this study seeks to assess institutional preparedness in Bangladesh and India in responding to the challenges of, and financing dealing with L&D. It assesses relevant policies and the institutional context in both these countries, including the capacities of relevant sectors—for example, finance, environment, agriculture, irrigation, fisheries, forest, education, and rural livelihoods. The geographical focus of the analysis is the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove delta, which straddles India and Bangladesh. It is an ecologically fragile area intersected by a vast network of rivers and channels. The region experiences both slow and rapid onset events (sea level rise, cyclones, floods, high tides, salinity ingress, erosion, land subsidence, and embankment breaches). The Sundarbans is a transboundary, global climate change hotspot, where an escalating climate crisis impacts not only lives and livelihoods, but also the world’s largest mangrove forests, which act as a natural barrier to increasing environmental/water hazards and sustain biodiverse habitation. This report assesses the policy and institutional bricolage of L&D to understand how governments are aware of, and prepared for L&D and whether there are any policies of compensation for people affected by climate change. Policy and institutional analyses were undertaken at three levels: one, focusing on the global discourse related to L&D; two, an analysis of country-level specific policies and institutions in India and Bangladesh; and three, at the grassroots level in the Sundarbans regions of both these countries.