CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/117900

Part of the CGIAR Action Area on Systems Transformation

Primary CGIAR impact area: Environmental health and biodiversity

https://www.cgiar.org/initiative/28-nexus-gains-realizing-multiple-benefits-across-water-energy-food-forest-biodiversity-systems/

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 485

Evaluation of capacity development activities of the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains in Nepal
(Report, 2024-12-30) Paudyal, B. R.; Chapagain, B.
Transforming rice cultivation: exploring direct seeded rice (DSR) suitability in Haryana through geospatial technology
(Brief, 2024-12) Srivastava, Amit; Yeggina, Pavan Kumar; Chall, Kranthi; Deb, Proloy; Sweta; Singh, Jasbir; Urfels, Anton
Rice cultivation in India is traditionally water-intensive, requiring between 800-5000 liters of water per kilogram of rice. In Haryana, a key state for India's food security, the overuse of groundwater and significant greenhouse gas emissions from traditional puddled rice farming are major environmental concerns. Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) presents a promising alternative, offering water savings, reduced labor dependency, and lower GHG emissions. To optimize DSR's adoption, it's essential to identify suitable zones with the right soil, water, and climatic conditions. Geospatial technologies and site-specific analyses can enhance the precision of suitability mapping, enabling more sustainable agricultural practices in the region.
Connecting the dots across water–energy–food–ecosystems: a roadmap for strengthening nexus solutions in Pakistan
(Brief, 2024-12-30) Khalid, Sidra
Real exchange rate misalignment and economic growth: An empirical analysis for Ethiopia
(Working Paper, 2024-12-31) Alemnew, Teklebirhan; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum
In both developing and developed economies, academic and policy discussions have consistently emphasized that achieving stable economic growth and maintaining internal and external balance require an exchange rate aligned with its long-term equilibrium value. This paper examines the impact of real exchange rate misalignment on Ethiopia's economic growth from 1980 to 2022. The study begins by estimating the equilibrium real exchange rate using the Behavioral Equilibrium Exchange Rate (BEER) approach to calculate the misalignments. It then analyzes the effects of these misalignments on economic growth using Vector Autoregressive (VAR) and Hansen's (2000) threshold regression model. The VAR and Impulse Response Function (IRF) analyses reveal that real exchange rate misalignments have an immediate positive impact on economic growth, which diminishes between the eighth and sixteenth years and stabilizes as a permanent long-term effect. The threshold regression results indicate that undervaluation of the Ethiopian Birr enhances economic growth up to a 13.95% deviation from the equilibrium real exchange rate, while overvaluation supports growth up to a 7.15% threshold. Beyond these limits, misalignments hinder growth. The study underscores the importance of avoiding excessive deviations from the equilibrium exchange rate to sustain economic growth. Furthermore, it highlights the need for consistent macroeconomic policies to minimize the gap between the actual and equilibrium real exchange rates. These findings emphasize the critical role of exchange rate policy in promoting sustainable economic development in Ethiopia.
Policy change and farmer feedback: Does anonymity matter? Evidence from Uzbekistan
(Blog Post, 2025-01-28) Liutin, Anton; Dower, Paul Castañeda; Alvi, Muzna
Policymakers in countries that are transitioning away from authoritarian regimes can face challenges in obtaining unbiased information about local conditions—as do researchers and international community representatives working in these countries, including those trying to understand policy change. This information problem is a critical challenge for water security. As key policy issues related to water resources, climate change, and agricultural supply chains become increasingly globalized, many countries face limited access to local information. Yet, how much, if at all, does such constrained information about local conditions affect the understanding of policies and policy change?
Groundwater conservation and food security: Navigating pathways to sustainable agriculture
(Blog Post, 2024-07-15) Singh, Vartika; Ringler, Claudia
Most of the Earth’s liquid fresh water resources are stored as groundwater. Accessible groundwater resources are increasingly extracted for use in irrigated agriculture, industrial and domestic purposes—and constitute the globe’s most extracted natural resource. Irrigation accounts for the lion’s share of groundwater use, and groundwater contributes around a third to 40% of total consumptive irrigation use. Irrigation, in turn, contributes 40% of global food production on just under one third of the world’s harvested area. Not surprisingly, groundwater management and food security are deeply interlinked.
Strengthening Uganda’s solar pump subsidy program: Key challenges and solutions
(Blog Post, 2024-12-27) Kato, Edward; Ringler, Claudia; Kiguli, Geoffrey; Sentumbwe, George; Tiishekwa, Dennis; Nsereko, Abdul; Alinaitwe, Jennifer
Despite rapidly increasing impacts of climate change, the adoption of irrigation technologies in Uganda remains limited, with no more than 2% of Ugandan farms irrigating any of their plots. To accelerate commercialization of agriculture and enhance the climate resilience of the country’s agri-food systems, the government of Uganda—through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, and with assistance from the World Bank—is implementing a subsidy program to help Ugandan farmers acquire solar pumps for small-scale irrigation. Emerging research suggests that solar-powered irrigation, through removing variable costs for petrol or diesel, might result in unsustainable groundwater extraction. However, there is no evidence of this occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, while studies indicate that women farmers can substantially benefit and often prefer solar-powered irrigation technologies, it remains unclear if they benefit equitably from subsidy programs supporting such technologies. A further question is if the subsidy program is a viable business model to reach smallholder farmers, who face a host of constraints to accessing advanced irrigation technologies in the region. To better understand how these issues play out in Uganda, IFPRI, with support from the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains, is conducting a survey targeting both beneficiaries of the subsidy program and farmers who expressed interest in it but are either still waiting for it or have decided not to pursue the opportunity further.
Exploring the effects of extreme events on cereal cropping systems in the Ganga River basin, Haryana
(Journal Article, 2024-12-01) Dubey, Swatantra Kumar; Veettil, Prakashan Chellattan; Patil, Vikram; Deb, Proloy; Kumar, Virender
Recent studies have highlighted the profound impact of global warming on climate patterns worldwide, but few have specifically addressed its consequences for crop yields. This study aims to bridge that gap by examining the trends of extreme events and their effects on agriculture in adjacent Ganga River Basin Haryana districts from 1981 to 2020, focusing on the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection, Monitoring and Indices. The study area experienced increasing mean maximum and minimum temperatures, raising drought concerns, especially in Sonipat and Panipat districts. Drought indices showed prolonged events in these areas, contrasting with shifting wet-dry patterns in Yamuna Nagar and fluctuating conditions in Karnal. An analysis from 1998 to 2020 revealed intricate relationships between climate factors and rice, wheat, and pearl millet production, with rising temperatures significantly impacting crop yields. Notably, both mean maximum and minimum temperatures have increased, with a significant daytime and nighttime warming trend. Extreme maximum temperature and diurnal temperature range indices were found to negatively impact crop yields, whereas precipitation extremes demonstrated positive correlations with yield outcomes. Collaborative efforts between policymakers and farmers to integrate climate-resilient practices and continuous monitoring are crucial for ensuring food security and sustainable farming amidst climate variability.
World Water Day 2024: Invest in women for peace and water security
(Blog Post, 2024-03-21) Ringler, Claudia
The theme of this year’s World Water Day (March 22), “Water for Peace,” could not come at a more opportune time. Global water, food, and humanitarian crises have reached near-unprecedented levels: As a 2023 conference of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences concluded, “The world is facing the highest number of violent conflicts since the Second World War. These conflicts are major triggers of humanitarian and food crises, reducing access to production factors, social safety nets and trade, and causing forced displacement.” More on World Water Day 2024 from IFPRI’s Claudia Ringler. Humanitarian crises are forcing hundreds of millions of people around the world to live in conditions without dignity. Currently, more than 100 million people are forcibly displaced, while 850 million face medium or high-intensity conflicts and food and water insecurity. Many lack access to basic sanitation and clean water for drinking and other household purposes, and many face hunger. More broadly, 2.2 billion people globally lack access to clean, safe drinking water; while 3.5 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation services; 3.4 million people die each year from scarce or contaminated water sources. Because water is essential to life, the lack of water is a crisis multiplier—an underlying factor contributing to and compounding conflict and humanitarian crises. But this also means that improving water management can reduce the potential for conflict—and when conflict occurs, help to ease its impacts.
Mapping the potential of managed aquifer recharge in Africa: GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach
(Journal Article, 2024-11) Ebrahim, Girma Yimer; Stefan, C.; Sallwey, J.; Lautze, Jonathan
Africa faces numerous challenges related to rainfall variability, droughts, water scarcity, and climate change. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR)- groundwater recharge and underground water storage for later use or environmental support presents a viable alternative for water storage and may provide an effective tool for coping with such challenges. However, the potential area where MAR can be feasibly implemented has not been identified. This study mapped MAR feasibility using a Geographic Information System-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (GIS-MCDA) and assessed MAR potential in Africa. The methodology focused on three key pillars of MAR feasibility: intrinsic suitability based on biophysical parameters, water source availability, and water demand. Maps responding to these pillars were developed and combined to create a composite MAR feasibility map. Results show that 18% of the continental area falls into the low feasibility class, 73% into the moderate feasibility class, and 7% into the high feasibility class. The feasibility map was validated against 17 existing MAR schemes in Africa, demonstrating a good correlation between their locations and areas with MAR potential. Results of sensitivity analysis of criteria weights of the biophysical parameters show that geology is the most influential criterion, followed by slope. In general, this first feasibility assessment shows good potential for MAR implementation in Africa. Therefore, MAR should be considered prominently among other water storage options for resilience building in Africa and policymakers should ensure adequate resource allocation for its implementation. The feasibility map can be used to guide MAR planning and investment decisions.
Enhancing smallholder agricultural production through sustainable use of shallow groundwater in the Borkena Catchment, Awash River Basin, Ethiopia
(Journal Article, 2024-10-01) Ebrahim, Girma Yimer; Taye, Meron Teferi; Seid, Abdulkarim; Tekleab, S.
With increasing shallow groundwater use for agricultural purposes, understanding the spatiotemporal variability in recharge rates, storage capacity, and its interaction with surface waters becomes crucial for its sustainable management. An integrated SWAT–MODFLOW model is developed to assess shallow groundwater availability in the Borkena catchment. The model is calibrated using streamflow and static groundwater level data. Results show that groundwater recharge in the catchment is 85 mm/a, representing 11% of the mean annual rainfall. Shallow groundwater resources exist across nearly 42% of the Borkena catchment. The percentage of shallow groundwater withdrawal to groundwater recharge is very low (0.1%), signifying the potential for increased shallow groundwater development. However, caution must be taken as its uncontrolled expansion may result in a high risk of depletion. This integrated modeling is one of the few efforts conducted to provide important information regarding shallow groundwater potential in the Borkena catchment, which is essential for the resilience of small-scale producers in the continued growing water demand and climate change.
D4N2024 Presentation Showcase – THEMATIC SESSION 4b: Gender and Social Inclusion
(Presentation, 2024-12-04) Saville, Naomi; Banerjee, Archis; DuttaGupta, Tanaya; Alvi, Muzna; Jolly, Saira Parveen; Nguyen, Phuong; Maringmei, Jasmine; Vaidya, Sneha; Pradhan, Mamata
D4N2024 Presentation Showcase – THEMATIC SESSION 4b: Gender and Social Inclusion Oral presentations Inequalities in dietary adequacy in the remote mountains of Nepal – adolescent girls fare worst Naomi Saville, University College London Hidden Helpers: Adolescent workloads in rural South Asia Archis Banerjee, International Food Policy Research Institute A qualitative inquiry of the effects of social protection and nutrition education on climate resilience of rural women and their households in southern Bangladesh Tanaya Dutta Gupta, International Livestock Research Institute Beyond the Grid: Women’s Empowerment in Energy and Household Well-being in Rural South Asia Muzna Fatima Alvi, International Food Policy Research Institute Women’s Empowerment and Nutritional Status of Children: New Evidence for Bangladesh Saira Parveen Jolly, BRAC University Rapid-fire presentations Trends and Inequities in Adequacy of Micronutrient Intakes in Rural Bangladesh Phuong Hong Nguyen, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute Participation of Women in Delivering Health and Nutrition Outcomes: Evidence from a qualitative study in Andhra Pradesh, India Jasmine Maringmei, Health Systems and Policy Research Specialist, International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) Gender Dynamics in Nutrition: Exploring Household Preferences for Staple Foods and Healthy Diets in Relation to Market Access in Western part of Nepal Sneha Vaidya, Research Assistant, Institute of Integrated Development Studies Migrants, beneficiary preferences, and shocks: Evidence from largest social safety net in India Mamata Pradhan, Research Coordinator, International Food Policy Research Institute
To improve Africa’s soil health and plant nutrition, empower women farmers
(Blog Post, 2024-05-06) Ringler, Claudia; Masso, Cargele
Healthy soils play a critical role in supporting agricultural productivity, climate change mitigation and resilience, and a range of ecosystem services. Up to 65% of Africa’s productive land is estimated to be degraded, and far too many smallholder farmers must eke out a living on degraded and nutrient depleted soils. While many technical options for soil improvement or restoration exist, a large number of them remain “on the shelf” or do not see widespread use due to sociocultural, institutional, economic, and policy barriers that stand in the way of their uptake at scale. Gender inequality is deeply embedded in soil health and plant nutrient management; It reinforces these barriers and represents a “wicked problem” requiring a fuller understanding of context and culture-specific approaches. Persistent inequalities such as women’s lower access to both agricultural resources and knowledge are a significant contributor to the 24% gap in land productivity between women and men farmers on farms of equal size, as well as to major differences in labor productivity.
D4N2024 Presentation Showcase – Plenary Research Showcase: Connecting Dots Across Systems for Better Nutrition
(Presentation, 2024-12-04) Singh, Vartika; Gooneratne, Anisha; Samad, Nandeeta; Chauhan, Alka; Chakrabarti, Suman; Joe, William; Mahajan, Nanda Kumar; Scott, Samuel P.
Role of global food production in managing water issues in low-income countries
(Audio, 2024-06-27) Ringler, Claudia; Scanlon, Bridget
The role of women’s empowerment in food crises prevention and mitigation under climate stress
(Conference Paper, 2024) Ringler, Claudia; Bryan, Elizabeth; Nanavaty, Reema
Despite small improvements, gender and social inequalities remain pervasive; they lead to worse outcomes for women and children and Indigenous populations during food, energy, and environmental, including climate, crises, widening gaps in access to food and employment and increasing overall inequity in income between the rich and the poor. At the same time there is considerable evidence that women have large roles to play in crisis mitigation, particularly in the most vulnerable populations, and that their engagement in decision-making processes supports crisis prevention. To avoid that humanitarian and food crises increase gender and social inequities and to ensure that women can exert their agency in reducing crises impacts, governments, donors and practitioners need to actively work with and for women, girls and Indigenous populations, providing opportunities for their active participation in decision-making processes and policy responses at all levels, ensuring access to digital tools, information, finance, and raising awareness on and actively working toward preventing gender-based violence.
Stakeholder engagement strategy for developing integrated food and land use pathways
(Report, 2024-12) Lavado, Angela; Navarrete Frias, Carolina; Declerck, Fabrice; Jones, Sarah
Focus and impact on nutrition, health, and food security
(Brief, 2024-12-30) CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains
A NEXUS Gains impact area brief shares how the Initiative uses people-centered approaches to prioritize the well-being and strategic interests of women, youth, and marginalized groups across the water–energy–food–ecosystems nexus.
Reflections on multi-actor, transdisciplinary leadership training on the water, energy, food, and ecosystems nexus approach for women in Nepal
(Report, 2024-12-30) Buchy, Marlène; Koirala, Sanju; Khadka, Manohara; Pradhan, M. S.; Onta, N.
Focus and impact on gender equality, youth, and social inclusion
(Brief, 2024-12-30) CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains
A NEXUS Gains impact area brief shares how the Initiative uses people-centered approaches to prioritize the well-being and strategic interests of women, youth, and marginalized groups across the water–energy–food–ecosystems nexus.

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