For over a decade, rural Lao households have been undergoing a transformation from subsistence-oriented production systems to agricultural commercialization, facilitated by a series of Lao government policies opening the economy to international markets coupled with improved connectivity. The extent and depth of this process is accelerating, particularly in upland (non-paddy) farming systems that were formerly part of a swidden landscape.

The paper proposes a probabilistic approach to the assessment of the impacts of multipurpose dams. It is framed around the notion of Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) in the setting of the Water-Energy-Food nexus. The socio-ecological context of the Tana River Basin in Kenya and the construction of two multipurpose dams are used to highlight co-produced positive and negative NCP under alternative river regimes. These regimes produce both damaging floods that ought to be controlled and beneficial floods that ought to be allowed.

Presented by Domenech Carlos and Fiona Flintan at the Identification Mission Meeting for the Lowlands Livelihood Resilience Project, Phase Two, for the World Bank and Government of Ethiopia 6 March 2023, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Water management in Egypt presents unique challenges. Being waterscarce, the country needs to use its limited freshwater reserves efficiently and effectively, particularly for irrigation, which accounts for over 70% of the total freshwater availability. Egypt has a network of irrigation canals and water-reuse drains that were built since the introduction of cotton cultivation in the colonial era to enable agricultural drainage and the reuse of water for irrigation. This facilitated expansion of the cultivated area with a view to improving food security and income.

This brief captures the assessment carried out in Arunachal Pradesh, India to assess rice-fish systems and it's effectiveness. Brief provides a narrative on how the system can be adopted and what are some potential benefits of this system.

In Colombia, NATURE+ works in the southwest departments of Caquetá, Cauca, Nariño, Putumayo and Valle del Cauca with a focus on two landscapes: lowlands and highlands. These areas have high deforestation rates, at-risk Indigenous populations and latent security risks. However, communities, governments and researchers have recognized the departments’ importance for water and agrobiodiversity conservation,
and are beginning to embrace nature-positive activities to improve the natural environment and the lives of the people who depend on

Conflict has a deep and interrelated impact on health, food, and water security. With agriculture heavily dependent on freshwater withdrawals, disruptions to water supplies can heavily affect food production, which in turn affects health. In fragile and conflict-affected settings, poor governance and climate change exacerbate these challenges, leading to heightened competition for resources and the weaponization of vital assets like water.

Sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly viewed as an important area for oil palm cultivation and expansion. Palm oil is a commodity that can help developing countries like Cameroon attain their sustainable development goals (SDGs) targets through poverty alleviation (SDG 1) and by providing revenue to smallholder farmers to buy a variety of food thereby reducing hunger. However, due to the many negative environmental and social consequences, the sector needs to be made more sustainable.

This technical note outlines a framework for the co-design of inclusive landscape management plans (ILMPs) by local governments and other implementers. The co-design process is iterative, incorporating the perspectives of all stakeholders, piloting, and learning through monitoring, and evaluation. The framework ensures that the co-signed ILMPs are adaptive, one health-sensitive, promote sustainable intensification, and are embedded in local and national governance systems.

The current situation of global food and nutrition security is increasingly worrisome, and it is unfortunate that progress in eliminating hunger, food insecurity, and multiple forms of malnutrition has been hindered or even reversed by recent global events. It is estimated that globally, 702 million to 828 million people (8.9 to 10.5 percent) suffered from hunger in 2021, with 150 million added during the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 2.3 billion people are in a state of moderate or severe food insecurity, with 11.7 percent facing severe food insecurity.

Groundwater irrigation for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa is growing in extent and importance. This growth is primarily driven spontaneously by the farmers themselves, spurred by improved access to low-cost technologies for pumps and drilling services as well as market opportunities for produce. This paper presents a review of the current status and knowledge of the prospects and constraints for sustainable and pro-poor groundwater irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This study aims to evaluate the incorporation of gender and intersectionality (G&I) in Colombian policies pertaining to climate, land, and food. It is conducted within the framework of the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies.