Day 3 FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

15
The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity UNCCD Workshop UNCCD Workshop Dubai, 18-20 June, 2014 Dubai, 18-20 June, 2014 The FAO Regional Initiative The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity on Water Scarcity Pasquale Steduto Deputy-RR-RNE Deputy-RR-RNE

description

Workshop on Alignment & implementation of National Action programmes with the UNCCD 10-year Strategy in the Arab Region League of Arab States (18- 20 June 2014), Dubai - UAE FAO Pasquale Steduto

Transcript of Day 3 FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

Page 1: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity The Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

UNCCD WorkshopUNCCD WorkshopDubai, 18-20 June, 2014Dubai, 18-20 June, 2014

The FAO Regional InitiativeThe FAO Regional Initiativeon Water Scarcityon Water Scarcity

Pasquale StedutoDeputy-RR-RNEDeputy-RR-RNE

Page 2: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The contextThe context Per capita fresh water availability = 1/6 of world average

has decreased by 2/3 over the last 40 years it is expected to decrease of further 50% by 2050

Major drivers population growth (+ consumption

pattern) climate change

Egypt

Iran

Sudan

AlgeriaMorocco

Iraq

Page 3: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

Climate change is expected to accentuate the already severe shortage of water availability

rainfall reduction (and unpredictability) increasing the crop water requirements

runoffrunoff ≈ ≈ year 2050year 2050(Milly et al., 2005)

Page 4: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

Over 60% of water resources in the Region flows from outside national and regional boundaries

Groundwater has been the basis for the rapid growth in the Arabian Peninsula, but now Countries are facing excessive groundwater depletion

Degradation of water qualityis mounting

Competition for water between all sectors is accelerating

Page 5: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Near East and North Africa, already one of the most water scarce Regions in the world, may be facing over the coming years the most severe intensification of water scarcity in history

Therefore, Agriculture in all NENA will be the sectorsuffering most from water scarcity, with major consequences for food security and the rural economy

Water is the binding constraint for Agriculture, as this sector uses already > 85% of available fresh water resources in the region

Page 6: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The challenges The challenges aheadaheadAgriculture, an important socio-economic sector in several

countries of the region, will be required to: substantially increase sustainably its overall ‘productivity’ (food, income, employment, etc.) reduce its water share

The food crisis of 2008, with soaring of food prices and subsequent volatility, has impacted several countries in the NENA Region as most of them import a large share of their food needs, particularly cerealsEvidently, Countries in NENA are reconsidering in perspectivetheir food and agricultural policies with much closer scrutiny onNational production capacity to mitigate their vulnerability to food import

Page 7: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The revision of food and agricultural policies needs to find an optimal balance between internal production, trade, storage and social protection measures, vis-à-vis the optimal balancebetween ‘actual’ and ‘virtual’ water budget

The implications for further pressure on water resources aresignificant

Furthermore, policy revisions will necessarily be cross-sectoraldue to the multiple-function and multiple-use of water, withallocation strategies that need to ensure their alignment with theimperative of making the best use of each single drop of waterIn short, further improvement in sustainable agricultural water management is not a choice, …it is a must

Page 8: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Water Scarcity The Water Scarcity InitiativeInitiativeThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity in Near East and North

Africa (WSI) has been established by FAO to support countries in identifying, adopting and implementing evidence-based policy-decisions, sound governance and institutions, cost-effective water investments and best management practices thatcan significantly improve agriculture productivity and food security in the regionThe initiative is premised on the principle that in a so complex field as agricultural water management, and in the enormous diversity of situations across the NENA region, there is a strong advantage in seeking structured ways and means beyond the national level, to better understand challenges and potentials, to learn from each-other experiences, to innovate and scale upsuccessful cases.

Page 9: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

Launched in June 2013, was planned to have two major products:a Regional Collaborative Strategy on sustainable agriculture water management for food securitya Regional Partnership to support countries in implementing the Collaborative Strategy Six countries (Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia and Yemen)applying the initial analytical framework of the WSI:‘water accounting’ (availability, use and projections)‘food supply cost curve’ (identification and ranking options for future food supply and related economic and water costs) ‘gap analysis’ (investigating policies, governance and performance of agriculture water management)

The pilot phaseThe pilot phase

Work to be completed within the first semester of 2014

Page 10: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Collaborative Strategy will complement existing initiatives in the Region and will seek structured mechanisms to address water scarcity beyond the national level

The Regional Collaborative Strategy was discussed at the Land and Water Days held in Amman, Jordan (15-18 December, 2013) by over 230 participants, including 80 experts from 15 countriesand 16 international and regional institutions.

A Regional Collaborative Strategy could:set up a continuing process for research studies, experience and knowledge sharingbring all sector professionals across NENA into regular exchanges and updatesHighlight, adapt and scale up best practices across the region

The Regional Collaborative The Regional Collaborative StrategyStrategy

Page 11: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

We, Agencies, Organizations and Institutions working in the NENA, ACSAD, AOAD, AWC, CEDARE, DRC, ESCWA, FAO, GIZ, ICARDA, ICBA, IFAD, IWMI, LAS, NWRC-Egypt, UNESCO, WB and WFP………Declare our strong interest and willingness to work together, drawing on our collective knowledge and resources, in an effective, action-oriented and result-based Regional Partnership,to support the implementation of relevant collaborative strategies, (e.g., the ‘Arab Water Security Strategy’, the ‘Arab Strategy for Sustainable Agricultural Development’, etc.), assisting the Countries of the Region to cope with water scarcity, manage sustainably their land and water resources and meet their sustainable development goals

The partnership pledgeThe partnership pledge

Page 12: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

Focus Areas of WorkFocus Areas of Work• Strategic planning & policies of water resources for water and food security (adopting a water-food-energy nexus approach) • Strengthening/reforming governance at all levels

• Improving water management, performances and productivity in major agricultural systems (rainfed and irrigated) and in the food chain• Managing the water supply through reuse and recycling

• Building sustainability, with focus on ground water, pollution and soil salinity

• Benchmarking, monitoring and reporting on water use efficiency and productivity

• Climate change, resilience, DRR and droughts management

Page 13: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

Keeping the relevance at scaleKeeping the relevance at scaleAt regional level:At regional level:develop an action plan for the implementation of the Collaborative Strategy between countries, giving priority to existing Regional strategies (e.g., Arab Water Security Strategy)promote south-south cooperation and support the establishment of a Regional Trust Fund for the NENAimplement ‘facilities’ to serve countries in their national work, e.g., benchmarking, climate change impact assessments, scenario analysis for future development trajectories

At national level:At national level:support countries translate the regional agenda into national action plans for sustainable agriculture water managementprovide adequate support for the action plans implementation, in collaboration with strategic Partners

Page 14: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

Elements of innovationElements of innovation

• Evidence-based approaches• Farmers as full partners (commercial operator and ultimate manager of soil and water)

• Effective synergies in innovation and learning (from farmer-to- farmer exchange of solutions, practitioners as main actors)

• An inclusive approach to change

• Involvement of private sector ( food value chain, technology)

• Tailored, action-oriented and result-based partnership

Page 15: Day 3  FAO The FAO Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

The Regional Initiative on Water ScarcityThe Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity

http://neareast.fao.orghttp://neareast.fao.org

Thank Thank YouYou