day 3 fao the fao regional initiative on water scarcity
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Workshop on Alignment & implementation of National Action programmes with the UNCCD 10-year Strategy in the Arab Region League of Arab States (18- 20 June 2014), Dubai - UAE FAO Pasquale StedutoTRANSCRIPT
The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
UNCCD WorkshopUNCCD WorkshopDubai, 18-20 June, 2014Dubai, 18-20 June, 2014
The FAO Regional InitiativeThe FAO Regional Initiativeon Water Scarcityon Water Scarcity
Pasquale StedutoDeputy-RR-RNEDeputy-RR-RNE
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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)
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 cerealsEvidently, 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 Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 waterIn short, further improvement in sustainable agricultural water management is not a choice, …it is a must
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 thatcan 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 upsuccessful cases.
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 NENA into regular exchanges and updatesHighlight, adapt and scale up best practices across the region
The Regional Collaborative The Regional Collaborative StrategyStrategy
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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 and recycling
• Building sustainability, with focus on ground water, pollution and soil salinity
• Benchmarking, monitoring and reporting on water use efficiency and productivity
• Climate change, resilience, DRR and droughts management
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
Keeping the relevance at scaleKeeping the relevance at scaleAt 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
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
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
The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity
http://neareast.fao.orghttp://neareast.fao.org
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