In this section, you may find new materials that have been published on the topic of The water we eat since the date of the event. We continually select major new publications and articles that add up to the policy points discussed in the briefing.

Increasing Water Productivity to Improve Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa
ICRISAT , 2017

A new study presents initial findings from a collaborative research project on increasing irrigation water productivity in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe through on-farm monitoring, adaptive management and agricultural innovation platforms. These findings essentially highlight the challenges associated with increasing the productivity and profitability of small-scale communal irrigation systems in the context of growing food demand and water scarcity.

Coping with water scarcity in agriculture a global framework for action in a changing climate
FAO, 2016

If soil is the body of agriculture, then water is its lifeblood. However, we are going to have to get used there not being enough to go around if we continue to pursue current development pathways in agriculture and elsewhere. Water use expanded at over double the rate of population growth in the twentieth century. The population is predicted to grow further by 2 billion to 9.3 billion in 2050. Combined with changing diets, we will need to produce almost 50 per cent more food to meet demand. This means the available pool of water faces greater stress. At the same time, climate change is predicted to have a massive impact on water availability by drastically altering hydrological regimes across the globe.

– Towards a water and food secure future: Critical perspectives for policy-makers
FAO, 2015

The aim of this paper is to provide policy-makers with a helpful overview of the technical and economic aspects of water use in agriculture, with particular emphasis on crop and livestock production. Through 2050, in many countries, agriculture will remain an important determinant of economic growth, poverty reduction, and food security, even as, over time, the proportion of agricultural revenue in national gross income declines. Water use in agriculture will remain substantial, irrigated areas will expand and competition for water will increase in all sectors. Most likely, overall supplies of land and water will be sufficient to achieve global food production goals in 2050; although poverty and food insecurity will remain pressing challenges in several regions and countries. Thus, the focus of this report is on the regional and national aspects of food security.

– IWMI Release Research on Agricultural Water Use and Adaptation in Africa
 International Water Management Institute (IWMI), 23 March 2014
Working with national partners in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, WorldFish, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the University of Osnabruck have released the results of an examination of climate change adaptation in food production in the Chinyanja Triangle. After project completion at the end of 2013, researchers have presented their results to stakeholders in the region, recommending improved water allocation and management strategies.
According to WorldFish, the research project, titled ‘Enhancing Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change Impacts through Well Managed Water Use for Aquaculture Integrated with Small Scale Irrigation in the Chinyanja Triangle in Africa,’ aimed to equip farmers with skills and knowledge they needed to improve water management.
The project has identified a number of shifts in agricultural practices in response to climate-related changes. As weather becomes less predictable, local communities have embraced fish farming and small-scale irrigation. In response to reduced rainfall, farmers are increasing water storage and not draining their ponds for longer periods of time. Communities endowed with more land have also begun to trade with communities with more water resources.

 – EU Foreign ministers promote ‘water diplomacy’
EurActiv.com, 23 July 2013
At the EU foreign Affairs Council held on 22 July in Brussels, foreign ministers from members states underscored that tensions over access to water are likely to rise in the next decade and could endanger stability in many parts of the world. Especially climate change and demographic developments were seen as aggravating the situation.

IWMI Evaluates Agricultural Water Storage in Africa
International Water Mangement Institute (IWMI), 19 July 2013
Agricultural water storage is expected to contribute to climate change adaptation in Africa by mitigating climate variability, according to an International Water Management Institute (IWMI) research report. The report proposes a diagnostic tool for evaluating the need and effectiveness of water storage options, including aquifers, large reservoirs, natural wetlands, ponds, soil moisture and tanks.
The report, titled ‘Agricultural Water Storage in an Era of Climate Change: Assessing Need and Effectiveness in Africa,’ outlines the results of applying this diagnostic tool to sub-Saharan Africa, in particular the Ethiopian portion of the Nile and Ghana’s Volta Basin.

‘Green’ Approaches to Water Gaining Ground Around World
Inter Press Service, 21 January 2013
After Hurricane Sandy swept through the northeast of the United States late October 2012, millions of New Yorkers were left for days without electricity.  But they still had access to drinking water, thanks to New York City’s reliance on protected watershed areas for potable water.

Dossier on the right to water
Youphile.com, March 2012
Several articles related to the subject- “right to water access”

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