Southern Africa Development Communality (SADC) through its Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) has set up an ambitious goal to double irrigation by 2015, which it sees as important component to sustain regional development and ensure food security. While the target timeline is questionable with year 2015 fast approaching, the goal to increase irrigated areas to 7% is certainly valid and has significant implications for regional food security and livelihood of rural population.

Despite the production of more food and extraction of more water globally, wetlands continue to decline and public health and living standards for many do not improve. Why is this – and what needs to change to improve the situation? If we manage wetlands better, can we improve the health and well-being of people? Indeed, why is this important? This report seeks to address these questions.

Originally Published In: Ramsar Technical Report No. 6. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; Gland, Switzerland: Ramsar Convention Secretariat

This paper describes how urbanization and climate change shape water insecurity in two villages, Sultanpur and Jhanjhrola Khera in periurban Gurgaon in the North-West Indian state of Haryana. Using ethnographic and participatory approaches, it documents the people's lived experience of a changing climate and water insecurity. While urbanization and climate variability alter the availability of water, the effects of this are aggravated by a complex interaction of caste, class, gender and locational factors.

This comparative study highlights that rainfall variability and food insecurity are key drivers for human mobility. The empirical research is based on eight country case studies, including a 1,300 household survey and participatory research sessions involving 2,000 individuals. The results reveal that migration is an important risk management strategy for vulnerable households. Land scarce households trying to cope with food insecurity send migrants during the hunger season to find food or money to buy food.

This handbook summarises the guiding principles, tools and practice in key economic sectors that can facilitate the implementation of resilience concepts into decisions related to infrastructure investments and general urban management as a means of reducing disaster and climate risks. It is divided into three sections designed to help urban planners and practitioners build elements of resilience into their urban governance and city planning. Chapter 1 presents key guiding principles for resilient cities in the context of today’s urban development.

This collection of papers, presented at the symposium ‘Climate change, water stress, conflict and migration’ held on 21 September 2011 in the Netherlands, highlight how climate change, water stress and other environmental problems threaten human security. For example, the paper by Muniruzzaman ilustrates how water ignores political and community boundaries, and how decisions in one place can significantly affect water use elsewhere.

This technical paper has been produced by the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) to support the implementation of the Strategic Framework for Water Security and Climate Resilience Development, developed by the African Union through AMWOC. The framework itself seeks to help with the identification, development and mainstreaming of ‘no/low regrets’ investment strategies, and to make development planning activities more resilient to climate change.

Urban flooding poses a serious challenge to global development and the livelihoods of urban populations, particularly the residents of the rapidly expanding towns and cities in developing countries. Responding to this challenge requires efforts to improve policy makers understanding and ability to effectively manage existing and future risks. This guidebook provides operational guidance on how to manage the risk of floods in a transforming urban environment and climate.

The indigenous cloud forests in the Taita Hills, Kenya, have suffered substantial degradation due to agricultural expansion. Currently, only one per cent of the original forested area remains preserved. Furthermore, climate change imposes an imminent threat for local economy and environmental sustainability. In such circumstances, elaborating tools to conciliate socio-economic growth and natural resources conservation is an enormous challenge.

This brief discusses Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) safeguards in the context of Vietnam and makes recommendations for future action. It begins by outlining the Vietnamese context and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defined REDD+ safeguards.

This profitability assessment is an early effort to generate baseline information for the Agroforestry and Forestry in Sulawesi: Linking Knowledge with Action project the ‘AgFor project’ , for implementation in two provinces, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi. The study collected information on existing farming systems and estimated profitability for each land use. The profitability indicators used in the study are: net present value NPV , equivalent annuity and return to labour.

Conflicts over control of and access to natural resources are common among pastoral communities living in arid and semi-arid environments of Kenya. This study investigates conflicts and conflict resolution strategies in West Pokot County, Kenya. The objectives were to: identify the sources of conflict; examine conflict resolution initiatives; and evaluate the effectiveness of peacebuilding initiatives.