IWMI Flagship Publications

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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.
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.
Extended Project on Farmer Managed Irrigated Agriculture Under The National Drainage Program (NDP): Water Distribution Equity in Sindh Province, Pakistan
(Working Paper, 2000-01-01) Murray-Rust, Hammond; Lashari, Bakhshal K.; Memon, Yameen
The concept of equity of water distribution is widely used in assessment of irrigation water management performance; but in reality there is considerable confusion between the concepts of equity and equality. This research forms part of a larger study of Farmer Managed Irrigation in Sind Province.
Financing the circular bioeconomy: a win-win for climate mitigation and adaptation
(Report, 2024-12-30) Bodach, Susanne; Somorin, Tosin; Drechsel, Pay; Taron, Avinandan
Climate change and resource scarcity pose critical global challenges that demand innovative solutions. Circular bioeconomy provides a transformative framework for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing climate adaptation. By applying circular principles, biowaste and wastewater are converted into valuable resources, reducing emissions across sectors such as agriculture and energy, while promoting sustainable practices such as nutrient recovery, biogas generation and safe wastewater reuse. These approaches address water scarcity, reduce reliance on fossil-based inputs, and improve environmental resilience. Financing mechanisms such as international climate funds, carbon credits and climate bonds are pivotal in scaling circular bioeconomy solutions, while enabling policies and capacity building empower stakeholders to drive implementation. The adoption of circular bioeconomy offers a path toward sustainable development, fostering a resilient and resource-efficient future.
Assessing the investment climate to promote a circular bioeconomy: a comparison of 15 countries in the Global South
(Report, 2024-08-29) Taron, Avinandan; Sathiskumar, Abinaya; Malviya, T.; Bodach, Susanne; Muthuswamy, S.; Gebrezgabher, Solomie
Transitioning towards a circular economy requires investments in new businesses and for this, a supportive environment and business models that can attract private entities are needed. Operating in countries where the enabling factors are minimal or weak proves extremely challenging for private enterprises. The present cross-country study tried to assess the investment climate for promoting a circular bioeconomy, i.e., businesses or public-private partnerships based on organic (municipal) waste. The main indicators used for the assessment are existing regulatory frameworks; business climate and associated procedures; governance in provision of infrastructure; incentives; access to finance; and entrepreneurial ecosystems. While most of the countries analyzed indicated evidence of regulations on waste management and policies related to promoting circularity, the divide is mainly on aspects related to business environments, access to finance and governance. The World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index and Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) indicate that Southeast Asian and Latin American countries are better positioned than most other Asian and African countries. National economies are challenged by these barriers that need to be addressed to foster the widespread adoption of a more circular bioeconomy.
A framework for an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ)
(Working Paper, 2024-05-28) Mukuyu, Patience; Dickens, Chris; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Tijani, M.; Chapman, D. V.; Warner, S.
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) Secretariat committed to design and implement an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) in its Strategic Operational Plan (2020-2024) considering the guiding frameworks is uses such as the Africa Water Vision 2025, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. AMCOW reached out to the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to support the development of such a program. AWaQ builds on the rich experiences and lessons learned from past and ongoing regional and subregional water quality initiatives across Africa by different players, including African Union institutions, and the wider members of the World Water Quality Alliance (WWQA), as well as the AMCOW African Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring and Reporting System (WASSMO). The five phases of developing an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) are explained in the following papers: 1. State of Water Quality Monitoring and Pollution Control in Africa (phase 1-2) 2. Innovations in Water Quality Monitoring and Management in Africa (phase 3-4) 3. A Framework for an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) (phase 5) 4. Country Water Quality Profiles This paper is the third in the above list and is the culmination of the development of AWaQ. It provides a foundational structure for developing a framework for AWaQ and is guided by the three principles of state custodianship, co-development, and coordination and collaboration. It has been proposed that AMCOW Member States will retain their sovereignty and become custodians of the data and information generated as part of AWaQ, and will be closely involved in the development of program activities. Further, AWaQ entails coordination and collaboration between regional, global and transboundary institutions and initiatives involved in water quality monitoring, assessment and management. The framework for AWaQ rests on the following four core components which were developed based on stakeholder consultations and literature studies: 1. Governance 2. Water quality monitoring 3. Data management 4. Capacity building AWaQ will aim to deliver within each of these core components. The governance component of AWaQ will build on already existing country governance structures and regulatory provisions through management approaches such as Integrated Water Resources Management and Catchment-based Water Management, with the aim of achieving the goal of improved water quality. The water quality monitoring component will aim to encourage countries to collect basic water quality data to support regional and global indicators. The data management component will make use of decentralized national platforms, where countries submit only final national assessments to AMCOW for reporting and planning while retaining the raw data on their own databases. Lastly, the capacity building component would be coordinated through AMCOW to deliver standardized and tailor-made training to Member States with support from global donors. Development of this framework needs to be followed by a strategic implementation plan that would provide a road map for implementing AWaQ. The strategic implementation plan would involve a series of steps, including stakeholder mapping, clarified roles and responsibilities, budgets, key indicators and associated monitoring programs, and overall coordination and reporting mechanisms. Specific activities under each core component of the framework need to be designed to meet the objectives of AWaQ. This paper only goes as far as providing the overall framework for AWaQ.
Innovations in water quality monitoring and management in Africa: towards developing an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ)
(Working Paper, 2024-05-28) Mukuyu, Patience; Warner, S.; Chapman, D. V.; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Dickens, Chris; Mateo-Sagasta, Javier
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) Secretariat committed to design and implement an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) in its Strategic Operational Plan (2020-2024) considering the guiding frameworks it uses such as the Africa Water Vision 2025, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. AMCOW reached out to the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to support the development of such a program. AWaQ builds on the rich experiences and lessons learned from past and ongoing regional and subregional water quality initiatives across Africa by different players, including African Union institutions, and the wider members of the World Water Quality Alliance (WWQA), as well as the AMCOW African Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring and Reporting System (WASSMO). The five phases of developing an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) are explained in the following papers: 1. State of Water Quality Monitoring and Pollution Control in Africa (phase 1-2) 2. Innovations in Water Quality Monitoring and Management in Africa (phase 3-4) 3. A Framework for an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) (phase 5) 4. Country Water Quality Profiles This paper is the second in the above list and documents the greatest innovations in water quality monitoring and management in Africa, and proposes interventions to strengthen Africa’s current water quality monitoring and management efforts. Innovations related to monitoring program design, analytical techniques and instruments, deployment of instrumentation and approaches to water quality monitoring are presented together with their applicability and suitability for implementation in Africa. Similarly, water quality management interventions — policy and regulatory mechanisms, catchment-based management, data management and sharing, wastewater reuse and nature-based solutions, among others — are examined. The most suitable interventions are proposed for African contexts using criteria such as affordability, scalability and flexibility. Key findings of this paper highlight the following: 1. There are numerous innovations within water quality monitoring and management. However, not all of them may be suitable for implementation in resource-constrained environments characteristic of many parts of Africa. For example, statistical analysis and modelling may require large amounts of existing monitoring data currently unavailable in most African countries. Nonetheless, other interventions such as the priority monitoring approach can be beneficial in optimizing resource utilization. Similarly, technological interventions such as multi-parameter sensors for basic water quality variables are now widely available and affordable in the provision of in situ results and lessening the need for laboratory analysis. 2. Available and existing traditional methods of water quality monitoring and management offer a good starting point to further strengthen and streamline efforts for increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Currently available laboratory facilities may benefit from instrumentation upgrades and continuous staff training. 3. There is scope for community and citizen engagement in the various processes of water resources monitoring and management. There is evidence that this enables success where governments do not have the monitoring capacity or adequate resources.
State of water quality monitoring and pollution control in Africa: towards developing an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ)
(Working Paper, 2024-05-27) Mukuyu, Patience; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Tijani, M.; Nikiema, Josiane; Dickens, Chris; Mateo-Sagasta, Javier; Chapman, D. V.; Warner, S.
The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) Secretariat committed to design and implement an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) in its Strategic Operational Plan (2020-2024) considering the guiding frameworks it uses such as the Africa Water Vision 2025, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. AMCOW reached out to the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to support the development of such a program. AWaQ builds on the rich experiences and lessons learned from past and ongoing regional and subregional water quality initiatives across Africa by different players, including African Union institutions, and the wider members of the World Water Quality Alliance (WWQA), as well as the AMCOW African Water and Sanitation Sector Monitoring and Reporting System (WASSMO). The five phases of developing an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) are explained in the following papers: 1. State of Water Quality Monitoring and Pollution Control in Africa (phase 1-2) 2. Innovations in Water Quality Monitoring and Management in Africa (phase 3-4) 3. A Framework for an African Water Quality Program (AWaQ) (phase 5) 4. Country Water Quality Profiles This paper is the first from the above list and is a baseline assessment of the status of water quality monitoring and pollution control in Africa, including the capacities available across countries in the region. This assessment considers various past and ongoing initiatives related to water quality monitoring and management, capacity development, and water pollution control and impact mitigation. Key findings of this paper highlight the following: 1. There is an encouraging availability of national water testing laboratory facilities across African countries. Nonetheless, there are weaknesses that require attention to ensure effectiveness and sustainability. 2. Regular and ongoing training is needed to keep up with laboratory testing methodologies. However, we observed a low trend in regular training, which does not augur well for keeping abreast of the best practices in water quality monitoring. In the context of emerging pollutants, training needs to be more regular than is currently experienced. 3. Water quality monitoring and management capacities are patchy. Capacities related to staff training, laboratory infrastructure and monitoring program activities need strengthening. 4. Pollution control mechanisms are facing challenges. Regulatory mechanisms and wastewater treatment technologies—the most widely deployed pollution control solutions—may benefit from more concerted investment, and the political will and financing to boost their effectiveness.
Investment and cultivation strategies for women and youth inclusion: cases from on-farm, off-farm and non-farm activities in Ethiopia and Mali
(Working Paper, 2024-05-08) Nigussie, Likimyelesh; Diallo, A.; Minh, Thai Thi
Africa's agriculture sector is vital for food security, employment, and economic growth. Women and young people, who contribute to innovation, diversification, and income, face limited opportunities in the sector due to social and economic power imbalances. This disparity wastes resources and impedes agricultural value chain development (VCD). Inclusive VCD aims to empower women, men and youth from diverse social groups and strengthen the agriculture sector. However, the literature on inclusive VCD in Africa is limited due to urban biases, and the lack of a framework to address gender inequality and poverty. This study explores how livelihood assets, strategies for accessing the assets, and enabling and discouraging factors in the value chain shapes the inclusion of women and youth in on-farm, off-farm and non-farm activities. It is based on the Safeguarding Sahelian Wetlands for Food Security (SaWeL) program that aims to make the market work for the poor through inclusive VCD in the Ziway-Shalla Sub-basin of Ethiopia, and Wegnia and Sourou basins in Mali. A qualitative dataset of 32 focus group discussions, 48 key informant interviews and 40 in-depth interviews were analyzed. We identified investment and cultivation inclusion strategies that demonstrates how women and youth from diverse social groups actualize business opportunities, overcome challenges and create new opportunities for inclusion. Investment strategies involve women and youth from better-off households with good access to natural, social, political and physical capital for capital-intensive roles. On the other hand, cultivation strategies involve women and youth from resource-poor households who can harness natural, social and political capital to participate in off-farm and non-farm activities. Our results show that women and youth who adopt either one of the strategies are encouraged by good support from social networks, cooperatives, Government Organizations, Nongovernmental Organizations and private sector actors. However, access to productive resources and services for women and youth adopting any strategies is hampered by gender and intergenerational norms, poverty and insufficient institutional capacity. We argue that it is essential to understand how social disparities and local environments interact to inform the design and implementation of inclusive value chains. Additionally, inclusive value chains necessitate building capacities of institutions at different scales.
Towards the harmonization of global environmental flow estimates: comparing the Global Environmental Flow Information System (GEFIS) with country data
(Report, 2024-02-07) Eriyagama, Nishadi; Messager, M. L.; Dickens, Chris; Tharme, R.; Stassen, R.
The source of data used to estimate the e-flow requirement in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Indicator 6.4.2 (level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources) is the Global Environmental Flow Information System (GEFIS), an online tool produced and managed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). In addition to the GEFIS estimate, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as the custodians of the SDG indicator, encourages countries to put forward their locally determined e-flow estimates, especially if it differs from the GEFIS estimate. To date, however, only a few countries have taken up this opportunity. The aim of this report is to compare e-flows estimated by GEFIS with independent e-flow assessments performed at the local level to gauge the level of agreement between the two sets of estimates. We compared e-flow estimates from GEFIS to local e-flow estimates at 533 river sites.
Anticipatory action in communities hosting refugees and internally displaced persons: an assessment of current approaches
(Working Paper, 2023-12-31) Schindler, Alexandra; Singh, Radhika; Adam-Bradford, A.; Laauwen, M.; Ruckstuhl, Sandra
This paper is a global literature review of anticipatory action approaches in communities hosting forcibly displaced persons. Anticipatory action, or a set of actions taken to prevent or mitigate a potential disaster before acute impacts are felt, is an essential strategy to reduce the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. However, due to the complexity and diversity of host community environments, it has proven challenging to incorporate this approach into these contexts. This paper provides a review of the available data on water- and climate-related vulnerabilities in host communities to inform and strengthen anticipatory action approaches and climate adaptation initiatives. It also supports future research for the development of a replicable and scalable mixed-methods model called the Integrated Host Community Vulnerability Framework (IHCVF). This paper starts with a background and technical overview of anticipatory action as it is currently implemented by humanitarian and development organizations. This overview highlights the lack of research on how anticipatory action can take into account the specific vulnerabilities of host communities. The paper then provides a detailed definition of host communities, a term the authors use to refer to the context, institutions and structures within which forcibly displaced persons live, and encompasses both the hosts and the displaced. Finally, it reviews the early stages of development of the IHCVF, including operational needs, specific vulnerabilities to consider, and current gaps in the field that need to be covered with future research. Next, the paper analyzes the types of water- and climate-related vulnerabilities in host communities, and the anticipatory action approaches that organizations are undertaking in those communities, using case studies from Bangladesh, Nigeria and Sahel. The data from these case studies show how existing host community vulnerabilities and food, land and water-related stresses can compound disasters for hosts and forcibly displaced people when impacted by extreme weather events, conflict, disease outbreaks, and food insecurity. Finally, this paper ends with a few conclusions about gaps in the data, including a lack of anticipatory action strategies that prioritize long-term outcomes such as resilience building and adaptation, and the need for guidance on how to better implement anticipatory action and forecast-based humanitarian action in conflict situations. It recommends further research on water- and climate-related vulnerabilities in communities hosting forcibly displaced people to provide practical guidance to inform future programming.
Digital innovation in citizen science to enhance water quality monitoring in developing countries
(Working Paper, 2023-12-31) Pattinson, N. B.; Taylor, J.; Dickens, Chris W. S.; Graham, P. M.
Freshwater systems are disproportionately adversely affected by the ongoing, global environmental crisis. The effective and efficient water resource conservation and management necessary to mitigate the crisis requires monitoring data, especially on water quality. This is recognized by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, particularly indicator 6.3.2., which requires all UN member states to measure and report the ‘proportion of water bodies with good ambient water quality’. However, gathering sufficient data on water quality is reliant on data collection at spatial and temporal scales that are generally outside the capacity of institutions using conventional methods. Digital technologies, such as wireless sensor networks and remote sensing, have come to the fore as promising avenues to increase the scope of data collection and reporting. Citizen science (which goes by many names, e.g., participatory science or community-based monitoring) has also been earmarked as a powerful mechanism to improve monitoring. However, both avenues have drawbacks and limitations. The synergy between the strengths of modern technologies and citizen science presents an opportunity to use the best features of each to mitigate the shortcomings of the other. This paper briefly synthesizes recent research illustrating how smartphones, sometimes in conjunction with other sensors, present a nexus point method for citizen scientists to engage with and use sophisticated modern technology for water quality monitoring. This paper also presents a brief, non-exhaustive research synthesis of some examples of current technological upgrades or innovations regarding smartphones in citizen science water quality monitoring in developing countries and how these can assist in objective, comprehensive, and improved data collection, management and reporting. While digital innovations are being rapidly developed worldwide, there remains a paucity of scientific and socioeconomic validation of their suitability and usefulness within citizen science. This perhaps contributes to the fact that the uptake and upscaling of smartphone-assisted citizen science continues to underperform compared to its potential within water resource management and SDG reporting. Ultimately, we recommend that more rigorous scientific research efforts be dedicated to exploring the suitability of digital innovations in citizen science in the context of developing countries and SDG reporting.
Sewage sludge: a review of business models for resource recovery and reuse
(Report, 2023-12-15) Taron, Avinandan; Singh, S.; Drechsel, Pay; Ravishankar, C.; Ulrich, Andreas
In many low- and middle-income countries, sewage sludge generated from wastewater treatment systems has potential environmental and health hazards. To tackle this challenge, there is a need for innovative options given the increasing concerns and policies restricting sewage sludge dumping in landfills and elsewhere, and a growing awareness about the resource value of sludge within a circular economy. In developed countries, water utilities, municipalities and the private sector are increasingly engaged in utilizing and innovating modern resource recovery technologies to capture biosolids, nutrients or energy from sewage sludge and reducing disposal. This study reviews existing approaches and business models for resource recovery and moves the discussion beyond technical feasibility. Case studies were analyzed in support of four main sets of business models depending on the targeted resource: (i) organic fertilizers, (ii) crop nutrients, (iii) energy, and (iv) organic fertilizers and nutrients along with energy. The extraction of organic fertilizers through dewatering, thickening, stabilization or long-term storage drives the first set of models followed by technological advances in phosphorus recovery. The business models on energy similarly start from conventional energy recovery processes (anaerobic digestion) and move toward incineration. The discussion covers recent advances in gasification and pyrolysis. Transforming sewage sludge into biochar, for example, can support soil fertility and carbon sequestration. The final set covers integrative approaches supporting soil fertility and energy needs. The critical step for emerging economies is to develop a wastewater management strategy and link it to a circular economy framework without having a negative impact on environmental and human health. While technologies and business models generally have a favorable policy environment, there is a lack of a regulatory framework that allows the marketing, use and export of recovered (waste-derived) resources for certain applications. For example, there needs to be an increase in industry acceptance of phosphorus recovered from sewage sludge to penetrate agricultural markets despite the currently still cheaper phosphate rock, which is a finite resource.
Afghanistan Drought Early Warning Decision Support (AF-DEWS) Tool
(Report, 2023-12-08) Amarnath, Giriraj; Ghosh, Surajit; Alahacoon, Niranga
This report summarizes the development of the Afghanistan Drought Early Warning Decision Support (AF-DEWS) Tool, a cloud-based online platform with near real-time information on drought conditions, to provide decision-makers with maps and data to enable further analysis. The report provides an overview of how the AF-DEWS Tool was developed and how it can be used to systematically monitor, detect and forecast drought conditions in Afghanistan. The tool provides a wide range of indicators/indices to assess the severity of meteorological (rainfall anomaly, standardized precipitation index), hydrological (snow cover index, streamflow drought index, surface water supply index), and agricultural (vegetation health index, integrated drought severity index) droughts. The authors evaluated historical drought events, specifically the widespread drought event of 2018, to identify the precise impact of drought that has affected more than 13 million people across 22 of the 34 provinces in the severe to extreme drought category. Key drought indices were selected to undertake a detailed evaluation of the major drought events and their impacts on crop production. Satellite-derived (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [MODIS]) Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) data and observed wheat production data provided by the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) were used. This demonstrates the capabilities of the AF-DEWS Tool in supporting drought early warning and informing preparedness and risk reduction measures.
Assessment of farmers’ willingness to pay for bundled climate insurance solutions in Sri Lanka
(Report, 2023-12-07) Aheeyar, Mohamed M.M.; Amarasinghe, Upali A.; Amarnath, Giriraj; Alahacoon, Niranga; Prasad, S.; Dissanayake, A.
With the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters, several social protection and livelihood resilience tools have been tested to reduce agricultural risks. The findings of this study are based on the initial bundled climate insurance solutions pilot conducted in five districts in Sri Lanka (Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Monaragala, Kurunegala and Ampara) in 2021 with the support of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The project intervention was designed to reduce production risks and enhance agricultural resilience through the roll-out of an index insurance product bundled with hybrid seeds and mobile-based weather and agronomic advisories. The research assessed farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for weather index insurance (WII) solutions with bundled choices as a risk transfer tool with due consideration to the diversity and heterogeneity of the farming population. The report informs the scaling opportunities of bundled climate insurance choices, including product design and implementation among smallholder farmers and reduction of production risks in designing and implementing WII products. The study findings confirm the majority of farmers' perceptions of high climate risk, but the degree of risk is variable between areas and different segments of people. Farmers’ age, gender, farming experience, levels of education, land size operated, and household income form the major factors characterizing the diversity and risk exposures. Attention to gender and social equity issues is important in the design and delivery of insurance products so that the benefits of the interventions reach most of the farming population; this can ensure achievement of the larger development objectives of equity and fairness to disadvantaged people including women. Farmers are experiencing high or very high levels of variability in crop yield, input prices and output prices. However, the differences in willingness to experiment with innovations to minimize the risks and adopt risk-taking approaches to minimize production risks and strengthen livelihood resilience indicate the requirement for carefully designed insurance products. Awareness creation is a prerequisite for this intervention to be a sustainable one. About 80% of farmers are willing to enroll in crop insurance programs, but a major inhibiting factor is the lack of trust in insurers. The amount that farmers are willing to pay as an insurance premium is in the range of 1-2% of the sum insured for the majority of farmers. Bundling insurance with farm support services could be the primary strategy for transitioning insurance programs to be a financially viable and sustainable adaptation strategy, and for upscaling these programs.
Institutional gender mainstreaming in small-scale irrigation: lessons from Ethiopia
(Report, 2023-12-07) Nigussie, Likimyelesh; Minh, Thai Thi; Schmitter, Petra
Achieving gender equality in irrigation can result in greater production, income, and job opportunities for both men and women smallholder farmers from diverse social groups, while building climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, national irrigation agencies, donors, and researchers have been assisting project implementers to mainstream gender issues into the planning and implementation of irrigation programs. However, although efforts to close gender gaps in irrigation have been increasing, little is known about how interactions among institutions at different scales may determine the success of gender-mainstreaming strategies. This study presents a qualitative analysis of how the interaction of institutions at multiple levels can shape the success of gender-mainstreaming strategies. Specifically, the study analyzed how institutions' rules, roles, and capacities at state, market, community, and household levels shaped strategies in Ethiopia's nine small-scale and micro irrigation development projects. The findings show that ‘rule-based’ strategies adopted by small, scheme-based irrigation projects emphasize policies and rules for equal rights and opportunities for equal participation in individuals' and institutions' decision-making and capacity development. ‘Role-based’ strategies adopted by projects promoting small-scale and micro irrigation technologies focus on challenging social norms to address the imbalance of power and workloads by developing the capacity of all stakeholders. Both strategies focus on women and use participatory approaches to ensure gender equality. Negative stereotypes about women from families, communities, and the private sector often make it difficult for gender mainstreaming to succeed. Furthermore, institutional biases and limited capacities reproduce gender inequality by reinforcing stereotypical gender norms. Transformative gender mainstreaming strategies are critical to holistic approaches that facilitate change at different scales through broad-based partnerships between actors. It calls for 1) enacting policy, creating an institutional environment, and developing governance mechanisms for mainstreaming gender; 2) enhancing the accountability system and adoption of gender-transformative approaches to involve more women farmers in designing, planning, and management; 3) creating a supportive institutional environment at market, community and household level that helps women farmers invest in irrigation; and 4) applying an intersectional lens in gender analysis and mainstreaming.
Land cover changes in the Upper Great Ruaha (Tanzania) and the Upper Awash (Ethiopia) river basins and their potential implications for groundwater resources
(Report, 2023-10-09) Chandrasekharan, Kiran M.; Villholth, Karen G.; Kashaigili, J. J.; Gebregziabher, Gebrehaweria; Mandela, P. J.
Over the past century, the world has experienced an unprecedented surge in population growth, accompanied by a significant increase in economic activity and fuelled by an intensive utilization of natural resources, including water. This phenomenon has brought about profound alterations in land cover and land use patterns across various regions. Knowledge of land use changes is key to unlocking an understanding of water use changes and associated impacts on water resources, and potential threats to sustainability. However, the pace and nature of land use transitions vary widely across the globe, shaped by a complex interplay of local, regional and global factors, making systematic assessments important. This report presents the results of a land cover change analysis conducted in two river basins in sub-Saharan Africa: the Upper Great Ruaha River Basin (UGRRB) in Tanzania and the Upper Awash River Basin (UARB) in Ethiopia. The spatio-temporal analysis spans a recent 15-20-year period up until 2015/16 and utilizes remote sensing imagery, secondary maps and ground truth information for the two end point times (resolution: 30 m). The basins are significantly different in terms of agricultural development and water resource use. UARB represents an area with emerging commercial farms, urban expansion and diminishing natural vegetation, whereas UGRRB still retains significant natural vegetation but is experiencing an increase in smallholder agriculture as well as intensive commercial irrigation potentially affecting fragile wetland systems. In UGRRB, surface water is the main source of irrigation water, while in UARB, groundwater resources are increasingly used for irrigation by smallholder farmers. The findings reveal a common overall trend in both basins that is similar to many low-income countries, illustrating an expansion of agricultural and irrigated areas and human settlements at the expense of natural land cover. The report presents a detailed systematic remote sensing-based methodology to quantify and compare land cover transitions in time and space with high resolution, within and between agricultural landscapes of larger basins. The study highlights that land cover changes in the basins follow diverse and unique trajectories, providing critical insights into evolving land use patterns. In its conclusion, the study underscores the profound implications of recent land use changes for groundwater resources within these agro-pastoral systems. Overall, the report highlights the importance of sustainable land management and integrated water resources management, and provides valuable insights into the complexities of land use change in these regions.
Public-private partnerships for the circular bio-economy in the Global South: lessons learned
(Report, 2023-08-22) Taron, Avinandan; Majumder, A.; Bodach, Susanne; Agbefu, Dzifa
Processing biomass from different waste streams into marketable products such as organic fertilizer and bio-energy is increasingly realized through public-private partnerships (PPPs). In developing countries, the private sector can be expected to contribute technical skills, organizational capabilities and marketing expertise, and leverage capital inflow. In contrast, the public sector will provide the regulatory framework and help its enforcement, plan public investment, involve and educate stakeholders, and ensure waste supply. This report reviews case studies that implemented PPPs in resource recovery and reuse (RRR) from waste streams with a particular focus on Asia and Africa, including those PPPs facilitated by the authors. Critical factors behind the success and failure of these cases are analyzed. The review indicates three key barriers to success: (i) waste-related bottlenecks, (ii) limited awareness about RRR products and their market(ing), and (iii) lack of proper institutional frameworks. Common shortfalls concern failure to meet commitments related to the quality and quantity of waste, missing understanding of the reuse market, etc. The report points out mitigation measures addressing possible challenges around appropriate technologies, finance and revenue streams, legal issues, as well as social and environmental concerns. It is required to establish close monitoring, appropriate procurement mechanisms and due diligence during the project preparation and pre-bid. If possible, such a PPP project should consider risk and commercial viability assessment as well as financial strategy planning (scaling). Successful involvement of the private sector in the RRR market is critical to close the resource loop and safeguard human and environmental health, which is the overarching objective of sustainable waste management.
Environmental flows in support of sustainable intensification of agriculture in the Letaba River Basin, South Africa
(Working Paper, 2023-08-08) Dickens, Chris; Whitney, Cory W.; Luedeling, Eike; Dlamini, V.; O’Brien, G.; Greffiths, Ikhothatseng Jacob
This study evaluates the socioecological consequences of the potential trade-offs between maintaining environmental flows (e-flows) and providing water for sustainable subsistence agriculture and livelihoods to the vulnerable human communities living along the lower Great Letaba River in South Africa. Implementation of e-flows is now generally recognized as an essential part of water resources management as they are designed to ensure that sufficient water is retained in a river to protect river ecosystems and all the beneficiaries of services that arise from those ecosystems. Understanding the relationship between e-flows and the use of water for small-scale agriculture is important for the management of trade-offs. The Letaba River Basin and it's tributary, the Great/Groot Letaba, are located in the eastern part of the Limpopo province in South Africa. This is one of the most important river basins in the region supporting both large-scale commercial and small-scale farmers. The river sustains many vulnerable human communities who depend on the ecosystem services provided by the river. Yet, the water resources of the Letaba River are heavily overutilized due to expanding developments, including upstream dams with associated offtakes mostly for irrigation. The findings of the study indicate that irrigation water demand from subsistence agriculture in the Great Letaba Basin amounted to around 2 million cubic meters annually with median demand not exceeding 300,000 cubic meters per month. This means that irrigation water demand from smallholder agriculture only amounts to about one-tenth of the estimated e-flow requirement. However, small-scale farmers contend with an increasing crop water gap which limits irrigated agriculture, especially during the dry season. Given the need to sustainably maintain e-flows for ecological purposes, crop water gaps are only likely to increase and compromise the sustainability of irrigated agriculture. With active upstream supplementation of river flows from dams to maintain both environmental and livelihoods-oriented river flows, the crop water gap can be fully eliminated. This supplementation is not assured due to competing uses.
The link between small reservoir infrastructure and farmer-led irrigation: case study of Ogun Watershed in southwestern Nigeria
(Working Paper, 2023-03-02) Oke, Adebayo Olubukola; Cofie, Olufunke O.; Merrey, Douglas J.
Small water infrastructure in Nigeria needs to be utilized more efficiently. There are over 900 small reservoirs across the country. Many of these have yet to be put to productive use within the Ogun watershed in the Ogun Osun River Basin. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities for improving the use of small reservoirs for farmer-led irrigation in a sustainable way. The 20 small reservoirs investigated showed varying degrees of degradation of the hydraulic structures, poor embankment maintenance evidenced by the observed erosion, overgrown shrubs, spillway cracks and failures, and siltation of the reservoir. Poor water management and irrigation practices due to weak technical capacity are also observed. There needs to be a precise governance arrangement or policy supporting water use in such a situation. The economic interests and considerations of the farmers determine the irrigation activities around the reservoirs. Regulations and management of the reservoirs were based on what was considered appropriate by the farmers. With the increasing interest in the use of small reservoirs as water sources for farmer-led irrigation in Nigeria, increased capacity building and training, access to agricultural inputs, finance, and the transformation of commodity associations to water users’ associations would contribute to improving the productivity of small reservoirs.

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