This report cautions against an overly rigid approach to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which it argues could limit development options for poor countries, particularly in how they are able to manage critical water resources. It identifies key challenges such as setting realistic targets, carefully considering the local context to address the needs of the poor, and promoting sustainable water resources development in a way that values healthy ecosystems.

This first background paper from the CGIAR Water for Food Program seeks to identify research needs to increase crop water productivity, such that food security can be ensured and farmers’ livelihoods enhanced without increasing water diverted for agriculture.The paper proposes a number of priority topics for research on crop water management in the challenge Program on Water and Food, which will be amended during the development of the Program.

Singapore has been dependent on Malaysia for nearly forty percent of its water supply, and water has been a source of dispute between the two countries. This paper examines the water issues between Singapore and Malaysia.The paper describes the water agreements signed in 1961 and 1962. It discusses some of the important aspects of the dispute between Singapore and Malaysia, including the debate on pricing, the right to revise prices, and the guarantee of supplies after 2061.

Forests play an important role in the water cycle, stimulating rainfall, protecting soils from erosion and regulating the flow of water. It is therefore important to preserve forests for water management. Previous efforts to protect forests in Ecuador have relied on controlling land use and excluding local people. These methods often have limited success, because of problems such as corruption and a lack of enforcement. A new approach is to pay people to protect the forests.

Unstable geological conditions and steep topography, combined with frequent extreme weather conditions, make the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region prone to many natural hazards. Among these, flash floods – severe flood events that occur with little warning – are particularly challenging for communities, threatening lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. Vulnerable groups such as the poor, women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are often the hardest hit.

This perspective document: 1 Provides examples of ‘no regrets’ approaches, applied in small island countries to cope with current climate variability and adapt to future climate change, at different levels ranging from communities, local administrations and national governments. 2 Demonstrates the need for a sound knowledge base and information system, as well as a better understanding of the relation between water resources, water and health, and climatic extremes.

Prepared as part of a study on innovations for irrigation management, this report analyses the history of changes and processes around the de-collectivisation of agriculture in Vietnam in the 1980s.At this time, emerging farming households in the Red River Delta became directly involved in agriculture. New water service requirements arose from de-collectivisation. Former irrigation and drainage management companies (IDMC) lowered their involvement in irrigation activities to the benefit of cooperatives that developed local irrigation capacities.

Part of a series of development reports, this paper highlights the key challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA). In particular, it aims to show how water is integrated into the wider economic policies of the countries of the region and for that reason, it brings water issues to non-water specialists, addressing a multi-sectoral audience. It is argued that despite its diversity of landscapes and climates - from the snowy peaks of the Atlas mountains to the empty quarter of the Arabian peninsula - most of the region’s countries cannot meet current water demand.

This training manual on agricultural water management has been prepared with the aim of providing reference and guidance materials on smallholders' agricultural management, primarily for Ethiopian farmers, with support of development agents and technical personnel. The documents use existing knowledge in the form of texts, figures, demonstration materials derived from various sources such as books, grey literature such as web material, reports, manuals, etc.  

This document presents the key findings of the evaluation of an integrated agricultural production and water management project implemented by IFAD in Netrakona district, in northern Bangladesh.

As globalisation intensifies, what is the impact on the power of national governments to address water issues?

This paper presents the results and analysis of a study conducted in Lijiang of Yunnan Province, China in 2013.

The focus of the study was on the major changes in local people’s socioeconomic situation and the natural, economic, or social problems and shocks that each household faced, as well as their impact on livelihoods and water management issues. The study consisted of household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and stakeholder workshops.