FAO's Regional Initiative on

Water Scarcity in the Near East:

Overview

Mohamed Bazza, PhD

Senior Officer, FAO

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Prior to 2012

FAO’s Work Plan - 11 Strategic Objectives

Approach to planning : Strategic Framework 2010-19 reviewed, Medium Term Plan prepared every 4 years

As of January 2012

- New Management

- Launch of a “Strategic Thinking Process” for preparation of MTP for 2014-17

Results: 1. Reviewed Strategic Framework Outline

2. Five Strategic Objectives for MTP 2014-15,

potential main priorities of emphasis of FAO’s work

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Background

Strategic Framework

Contribute to the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition

Increase and improve provision of goods and services from agriculture, forestry and fisheries in a sustainable manner

Reduce rural poverty

Enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems at local, national and international levels

Increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises

SO1

SO2

SO3

SO4

SO5

slide 6

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

As of January 2012

- New Management

- Launch of a “Strategic Thinking Process” for preparation of MTP for 2014-17

ResultS: 1. Reviewed Strategic Framework Outline

2. Five Strategic Objectives for MTP 2014-15

3. Six Regional Initiatives to pilot implementation of SOs in 2013

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Background

SO2

Near EastAsiaAfricaLatin

America

Europe

Water Scarcity

Why Water Scarcity

Among top priorities in “FAO’s Regional Priority Framework for Near East” (2010 and 2012)

approaches water resource management within the context of agriculture and food security since almost

90% of water use allocated to agriculture and food security is both another regional priority and FAO’s

concern

Innovations, Principles

- Focus on regional priorities

- Integration, multi-disciplinary approach

- Joint work by Decentralized Offices and HQ

- enhanced collaboration between countries

- Partnership

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Water Scarcity Initiative

Project development

1. Facts

- Near East region is water-scarce and net food importer as a result

- Countries have over past 40-50 years made important economic development efforts and investment in

water resources, albeit with differences

- Region has acquired good experience in water management; and is slightly ahead of other similar

regions in terms of agriculture water management indicators

- HOWEVER, current levels of performance and food insecurity gap reduction are still

well below potential and do not reflect acuity of water scarcity which is higher than in

other regions

- The approaches to improve water management applied over the past 10-15 years have reached their

limits and become too redundant

2. Resources and timeframe

- Human resources

- One Million US Dollars

- One year

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Water Scarcity Initiative

Project Development

3. Project Scope

How best to benefit the region, building on the experiences and knowledge of countries, FAO and other

partners active in the field of agriculture water in the region, in order to identify gaps and highlight priority

areas for action to improve Agriculture water productivity in a sustainable manner, and thus reduce the food

deficit gap?

Rather than continuing business as usual, there is a need to inject fresh thinking into the process of finding

sustainable solutions to water scarcity and food security problems through facilitating the implementation of

cost-effective water investments and management practices

4. Beneficiaries

Members Countries of FAO Near East Region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq,

Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab

Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

5. Partners

Multiple partners on national, regional and international levels, e.g. ICARDA, IFAD, IDRC, GIZ, World Bank,

African Development Bank, AWC, etc.

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Water Scarcity Initiative

Overall Objectives

support Member Countries in identifying priority areas of action in agriculture water management that can

significantly contribute to boosting agriculture productivity, improving food security and sustaining water

resources

highlight the specific areas that require support of partners active in the field of agriculture water in the

region

build partnerships to move the process forward.

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Objective and Outcomes

Outcome I

A regional collaborative strategy on sustainable agriculture water management for increasing the

level of food security in the Near East Region endorsed by Member Countries

build on past experience and knowledge to identify critical gaps and most efficient means to sustainably

increase food production and improve food security in the face of water scarcity

help countries identify priority areas for action and remove identified gaps/constraints

Highlight areas requiring technical support by partners and facilitate development of collaborative

partnerships for the provision of such support

also include baseline and indicators for implementation, starting in 2014

Elaboration driven by countries, in close collaboration with FAO and partners, through consultative process

involving relevant stakeholders within countries

Draft Strategy presented at a regional meeting of senior decision-makers from member countries and

partners for review and endorsement. Final version presented to the 32nd FAO Regional Conference for the

Near East in February 2014 for endorsement.

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Objective and Outcomes

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Objective and Outcomes

Regional Collaborative StrategyOutcome I

Outputs I.3. Nat. Water AuditsI.2. Food Supply Options AnalysisI.1.Knowledge gap Analysis

Assessment of experiences, policies,

practices and measures to cope with

water scarcity with regard to

effectiveness, highlighting successes

and failures and the reasons of both

Assessment of the available food supply

options in terms of effectiveness, cost

as well as technical, social and

environmental feasibility

Based on food supply enhancement

options identified under I.2, national data

and statistics, accounts of water supply &

demand as well as institutional, social,

environmental and financial dimensions

of water management

Outcome II

A Regional partnership to support countries in the implementation of the regional collaborative strategy

Establish Regional Partnership composed of representatives of Member Countries and broad range of

partners including donors, support providers and other stakeholders

Partners will be key players in the consultative process to elaborate the Strategy and in its subsequent

implementation

Strategy will also be shared with other stakeholders and potential partners active in the field of water

resources in the region, in order to facilitate coordination and identify additional synergies

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Objective and Outcomes

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Objective and Outcomes

Regional PartnershipOutcome II

Output Collaboration agreement on implementation

Partners elaborating the Strategy will enter into an agreement to be officially

announced in regional meeting.

Final Strategy will bear the logos and names of collaborating partners

Preparatory Phase

FAO Multi-disciplinary team (DOs, HQ)

Consultations with countries and potential partners

Partnership building

Multi-stakeholders team in pilot countries

Launching workshop

Assessment in Pilot Countries

Gap Analysis (desk study and in-country)

Food Supply Cost curve Analysis

National Water Audits

in-Country workshops

Land and Water Days (lessons from Land and Water Projects)

Data collection from non-pilot countries

Regional Collaborative Strategy

Elaboration

Discussion at regional level

Endorsement by FAO Regional Conference

Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt

Implementation Approach

Thank you