Let's talk about WLE

Are you struggling to understand the structure of the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE)? Do words like focal regions and flagships confuse rather than clarify? Whether you have recently joined WLE or are a longtime contributor, a clear understanding of what the program aims to achieve and how and where it works is integral to both carry out the research and form strategic partnerships to ensure sustainable development.

The following resources have been designed to help do just this.

What makes the program unique is its ability to look at very complex systems and bring them into focus with regard to productivity, income, gender equity, adaptation and resilience. In the video below, which was filmed at the International Water Management Institute’s Annual Research Meeting, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from December 2-5, 2014, Andrew Noble- WLE’s Program Director, talks about the fundamental elements that make up the program and what an ecosystems based approach really means.

WLE has also invested in research-for-development programs in four of the world’s major river basins: the Ganges, Greater Mekong, Nile and East Africa, and Volta and Niger. The goal of these focal regional programs is to demonstrate that sustainable governance and management of ecosystems, natural resources and earth system processes provide practical solutions for sustainable intensification of agriculture and human well-being. In this next video, Andrew explains that the focal regions are where the integrative nature of WLE comes together.