regional water scarcity initiative towards a collaborative strategy

NERC-32 For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region NERC-32 For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

FAO Regional Conference for the FAO Regional Conference for the Near EastNear East

Thirty-Second Session24 – 28 February 2014, Rome, Italy

Regional Water Scarcity InitiativeRegional Water Scarcity InitiativeTowards a Collaborative StrategyTowards a Collaborative Strategy

Agenda Item 10: NERC/14/5


The contextThe context Per capita fresh water availability = 1/6 of world average

has decreased by 2/3 over the last 40 years it is expected to decrease of further 50% by 2050

Major drivers population growth (+ consumption

pattern) climate change

Egypt

Iran

Sudan

AlgeriaMorocco

Iraq


Climate change is expected to accentuate the already severe shortage of water availability

rainfall reduction (and unpredictability) increasing the crop water requirements

runoffrunoff ≈ ≈ year 2050year 2050(Milly et al., 2005)


Over 60% of water resources in the Region flows from outside national and regional boundaries

Groundwater has been the basis for the rapid growth in the Arabian Peninsula, but now Countries are facing excessive groundwater depletion

Degradation of water qualityis mounting

Competition for water between all sectors is accelerating


The Near East and North Africa, already one of the most water scarce Regions in the world, may be facing over the coming years the most severe intensification of water scarcity in history

Therefore, Agriculture in all NENA will be the sectorsuffering most from water scarcity, with major consequences for food security and the rural economy

Water is the binding constraint for Agriculture, as this sector uses already > 85% of available fresh water resources in the region


The challenges The challenges aheadaheadAgriculture, an important socio-economic sector in several

countries of the region, will be required to: substantially increase sustainably its overall ‘productivity’ (food, income, employment, etc.) reduce its water share

The food crisis of 2008, with soaring of food prices and subsequent volatility, has impacted several countries in the NENA Region as most of them import a large share of their food needs, particularly cereals

Evidently, Countries in NENA are reconsidering in perspectivetheir food and agricultural policies with much closer scrutiny onNational production capacity to mitigate their vulnerability to food import


The revision of food and agricultural policies needs to find an optimal balance between internal production, trade, storage and social protection measures, vis-à-vis the optimal balancebetween ‘actual’ and ‘virtual’ water budget

The implications for further pressure on water resources aresignificant

Furthermore, policy revisions will necessarily be cross-sectoraldue to the multiple-function and multiple-use of water, withallocation strategies that need to ensure their alignment with theimperative of making the best use of each single drop of water

In short, further improvement in sustainable agricultural water management is not a choice, …it is an imperative


The responseThe response

NENA countries have in fact progressed on many fronts: developed a higher proportion of their available

water resources have constructed more water storage per capita

than any other region in the world improved agricultural water management to raise

productivity improved markets applied principles of IWRM progressive transition from supply to demand

management

……much has been achieved in much has been achieved in recent yearsrecent years


NENA is a global leader in pressurized irrigation progressive decentralization of irrigation agencies towards WUA and farmers organization

……and all this has had a few positive and all this has had a few positive resultsresults Agriculture growth over the last 25 years averaged

≈ 2% per year more farmers brought into the market household-level food security strengthened dependence on subsistence crops reduced much agriculture is market-oriented and commercialized


there still is significantly low agricultural water productivity (e.g., rainfed farming) and efficiency (e.g., irrigated agriculture)

although the quality of planning and public investment has improved, capital-intensive, supply-driven investments, featuring a ‘top down’ engineering approach is still dominant

Water Users Associations in NENA are weaker than any other Region

non-conventional water resources still mostly untapped

collective irrigation systems require extensive modernization

groundwater resources management is lacking effective governance

……but much more remains to be but much more remains to be donedone


Climate Change responses are not yet properly incorporated in the water resources management

water valuation and allocation criteria are still limited

efficiency along the food value chain is low (food waste and losses)

a regional and national vision for the future and related scenario analysis are missing

mounting water scarcity in the Region requires a comprehensive reform and innovative approaches to

further improvement in sustainable agricultural water

management


NENA countries have recognized that water scarcity will escalateand that available water resources must be planned more strategically and managed more efficiently and sustainably thanever before

This involves actions: at National level, to put in place instruments for optimal water allocation between sectors for an efficient and sustainable water resources management at Agricultural-sector (and local) level, to ensure that water allocated to agriculture is used efficiently and productively

……summarizingsummarizing


The Water Scarcity The Water Scarcity InitiativeInitiativeThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity in Near East

and North Africa (WSI) has been established by FAO to support countries in identifying, adopting and implementing evidence-based policy-decisions, sound governance and institutions, cost-effective water investments and best management practices that can significantly improve agriculture productivity and food security in the regionThe initiative is premised on the principle that in a so complex field as agricultural water management, and in the enormous diversity of situations across the NENA region, there is a strong advantage in seeking structured ways and means beyond the national level, to better understand challenges and potentials, to learn from each-other experiences, to innovate and scale up successful cases.


Launched in June 2013, was planned to have two major products:a Regional Collaborative Strategy on sustainable agriculture water management for food securitya Regional Partnership to support countries in implementing the Collaborative Strategy

Six countries (Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia and Yemen)applying the initial analytical framework of the WSI:‘water accounting’ (availability, use and projections)‘food supply cost curve’ (identification and ranking options for future food supply and related economic and water costs) ‘gap analysis’ (investigating policies, governance and performance of agriculture water management)

The pilot phaseThe pilot phase

Work to be completed within the first semester of 2014


The Regional Collaborative Strategy will complement existing initiatives in the Region and will seek structured mechanisms to address water scarcity beyond the national level

The Regional Collaborative Strategy was discussed at the Land and Water Days held in Amman, Jordan (15-18 December, 2013) by over 230 participants, including 80 experts from 15 countriesand 16 international and regional institutions.

A Regional Collaborative Strategy could:set up a continuing process for research studies, experience and knowledge sharingbring all sector professionals across NENE into regular exchanges and updatesHighlight, adapt and scale up best practices across the region

The Regional Collaborative The Regional Collaborative StrategyStrategy


We, Agencies, Organizations and Institutions working in the NENA, ACSAD, AOAD, AWC, CEDARE, DRC, ESCWA, FAO, GIZ, ICARDA, ICBA, IFAD, IWMI, LAS, NWRC-Egypt, UNESCO, WB and WFP………

Declare our strong interest and willingness to work together, drawing on our collective knowledge and resources, in an effective, action-oriented and result-based Regional Partnership,to support the implementation of relevant collaborative strategies, (e.g., the ‘Arab Water Security Strategy’, the ‘Arab Strategy for Sustainable Agricultural Development’, etc.), assisting the Countries of the Region to cope with water scarcity, manage sustainably their land and water resources and meet their sustainable development goals

The partnership pledgeThe partnership pledge


Focus Areas of WorkFocus Areas of Work

• Strategic planning & policies of water resources for water and food security (adopting a water-food-energy nexus approach)

• Strengthening/reforming governance at all levels

• Improving water management, performances and productivity in major agricultural systems (rainfed and irrigated) and in the food chain

• Managing the water supply through reuse, recycling and adaptation to climate change

• Building sustainability, with focus on ground water, pollution and soil salinity

• Benchmarking, monitoring and reporting on water use efficiency and productivity


Keeping the relevance at scaleKeeping the relevance at scale

At regional level:At regional level:develop an action plan for the implementation of the Collaborative Strategy between countries, giving priority to existing Regional strategies (e.g., Arab Water Security Strategy)promote south-south cooperation and support the establishment of a Regional Trust Fund for the NENAimplement ‘facilities’ to serve countries in their national work, e.g., benchmarking, climate change impact assessments, scenario analysis for future development trajectories

At national level:At national level:support countries translate the regional agenda into national action plans for sustainable agriculture water managementprovide adequate support for the action plans implementation, in collaboration with strategic Partners


Elements of innovationElements of innovation

• Evidence-based approaches

• Farmers as full partners (commercial operator and ultimate manager of soil and water)

• Effective synergies in innovation and learning (from farmer-to- farmer exchange of solutions, practitioners as main actors)

• An inclusive approach to change

• Involvement of private sector ( food value chain, technology)

• Tailored, action-oriented and result-based partnership


Guidance sought from NERC-32Guidance sought from NERC-32

The conference may wish to:The conference may wish to:

•support the regional initiative on water scarcity•welcome the efforts and actions undertaken by FAO and Partners to develop a regional collaborative strategy on sustainable water management for food security•provide guidance on priority areas for action under the regional initiative on water scarcity to be considered in the PWB 2014-2015 and the MTP 2014-2017•invite countries to formulate national action plans and to support the formulation of a regional action plan to implement the regional collaborative strategy


http://neareast.fao.orghttp://neareast.fao.org

Thank Thank YouYou

regional water scarcity initiative towards a collaborative strategy

Education

water storage

history water

available water resources

food needs

revision of food

food crisis

nena region

mounting water scarcity