Water

The agricultural sector is the largest user of freshwater in the world, and water is an essential resource for the 2.5 billion people who depend directly on the food and agricultural sector for their livelihoods. WLE is developing is suite of tools and approaches to improve agricultural water management in pursuit of sustainable agricultural intensification.

Agricultural water management

Equitable, sustainable investments in agricultural water management have the potential to transform livelihoods across South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. WLE is providing evidence and developing tools to support decision makers to ensure sustainable, positive effects of future investments.

News
May 07, 2021
Water and cross-sectoral collaboration are key to food system transformations
Ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in September experts warn that the transformation of our food systems and the protection of our increasingly fragile ecosystems depends on improved water management and cross-sectoral collaboration
- Jack Durrell
News
August 28, 2017
African smallholders can double their yields with half the water
Water experts estimate that only 4 to 7 percent of arable land is irrigated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the lowest ratio across the world. A new special series on small-scale communal irrigation in South-Eastern Africa is calling for donors to develop a viable, sustainable and inclusive business model for small-scale public irrigation schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Jerome Bossuet
Lead Partner: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
- Approach
- Technology
Agricultural water management solutions
Productivity
June 24, 2015
The investment visualizer tool is for policy makers and investors and may help them to assess various investment opportunities. Users can examine the profits, costs, yield improvements, number of people reached, area expansion and water use consumption of various smallholder water management options by country and region.
- Simulation model
Targeting Agricultural Water Management Interventions
Productivity
June 25, 2015
Targeting AGwater Management Interventions (TAGMI) is a decision-support tool that predicts the probability of success for scaling out agricultural water management technologies for smallholder farmers.

Groundwater

Groundwater can boost agricultural production, improve rural incomes and strengthen farmers’ ability to withstand climate shocks and water variability. WLE is developing maps and tools to determine where and how much groundwater can be sustainably used for farming.

Photo Story
Photo Story
October 10, 2019
Infographic: Groundwater critical for sustainable development
Goundwater represent close to 99% of all unfrozen fresh water in the world and it's the source of almost half of the water used for irrigation worldwide. This infographic displays the history of groundwater, suggesting how we might better manage it in the years to come.
Blog Post
Blog Post
April 23, 2018
Here comes the sun: solar technology for agriculture
Private and public sector players met at FAO in Rome to discuss the many facets of solar technology use for irrigation and other uses on small and medium scale farms, including financing, application, and innovations.
- Mia Signs
International Forum on Solar Technologies for Small-scale Agriculture and Water Management
- Map
Transboundary Aquifer Map for Africa
Risk and variability
June 26, 2015
IWMI scientists have developed a map and inventory that shows the presently known transboundary aquifers in Africa. The map includes 80 aquifers and aquifer systems superimposed on 63 international river basins.
- Karen Villholth
- Yvan Altchenko

Floods

Millions of farmers are impacted by floods every year, but floods are not only destructive--they also provide benefits for people and nature. WLE is providing evidence and advice on how to best manage floods.

News
August 16, 2019
Ethiopian floodwaters captured for dryland farmers – and the approach is scaling up
To prevent flooding and improve irrigation, a new practice utilizes systems of weirs -- small dams -- to distribute water to crops in the Ethiopian drylands.
Photo Story
Photo Story
June 05, 2018
Floating Rice: Will it Sink or Swim?
The conundrum of nature-based vs. tech-based approaches in flooded farming systems
- Madeline Dahm
- Approach
- Data based
Six ways to increase productivity of flood-based farming systems
Risk and variability
January 13, 2017
While floods are often framed as harmful and destructive, they also have many positive impacts and provide benefits for people and nature.
- Frank van Steenbergen
Partner News
August 21, 2017
Maps that matter when flooding strikesread original article on external website
As local disaster management authorities rush to respond to ongoing, severe floods in Northeast India, researchers at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) are providing valuable support in the form of rapid-response maps, based on high-resolution satellite images.
News
August 03, 2018
Research provides input for Lao flood relief
A hydropower dam failure in Southern Laos has destroyed villages and left many homeless or dead. WLE and IWMI researchers are offering assistance to the flood relief efforts.
Lead Partner: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Wastewater

Wastewater is agriculture's only expanding resource. WLE is developing guidelines and business models to help entrepreneurs and farmers put it safely to use.