Water-Smart AgricultureWhat is WaSA and Why now?

EA

Peter Lochery, CARE

Genesis of the term• GWI EA part of a three-region approach

(EA, WA, CA) to improving water management for smallholder farmers

• Search for a ‘big idea’ from mid 2013 to help conceptualize the challenge and appropriate responses; including:– Overcoming water as a constraint to

agricultural development; managing risk– Maximizing water use as an asset to

generate value– Ensuring sustainable resource use

• Collaboration with CGIAR WLE• East Africa context of variable rainfed

systems, land pressures / soil degradation

So what is Water Smart Agriculture?In its simplest sense, Water Smart Agriculture is an approach to farming that balances water availability, access and use across the range of water sources, and according to principles of socio-economic, environmental and technical sustainability. It seeks to maximize returns whilst protecting environmental flows and ensuring equality within farming systems.

Why develop another organizing concept now?

• CSA, CA, SI, do not focus on water-specific challenges but root them in other contexts– Hydrological cycle is ultimately the most

sensitive variable to climate change

– Unpacking ‘what is water-specific’ and what to do about it is part of the wider, nested challenge, of addressing climate impacts

– Agriculture ‘pivots’ on what happens to the water cycle, particularly in areas of low technological input

– Need to bring greater policy and practice coherence to water for agriculture; and link water to wider development challenges to encourage greater investment

CSA, SI and WaSA

• Climate Smart Agriculture– sustainable increases in

productivity, achieving resilience, reducing GHG emissions and enhancing food security and development – the so-called ‘triple win’

• Sustainable Intensification– yield increases without

adverse environmental impact and without more land being brought into use

• Already substantial overlap between CSA and SI...

A theory of change in East Africa

Objectives

Principles Productivity Value Sharing

Maximizing outcomes: water is

used to provide the best possible set of socio-economic outcomes, given constraints

Increasing water

productivity through

water management,

fertility, cropping

system

Using WaSA to move

into higher value

production

Ensure fair and

transparent access to

water

Ensuring sustainability: water

is not overexploited and its use does not lead to ecosystem damage

Maintaining

productivity and

investment in the face

of uncertainty

Exploiting

opportunities for

value production

Rewarding eco-

efficiency. Penalizing

high risk activities

Transitioning to prosperity: better

water management leads to step changes in socioeconomic development, building ‘growth with equity’

Achieving food security. Using water for

higher value products

Supporting efficient

resource use as value

increases

Building learning and sharing: the

‘doing’ of WaSA embeds learning and sharing as a key ongoing activity

Institutions ensure

incentives for ‘best use’

Move towards

sustainable

intensification

Institutions to enable

transparent and

informed negotiation

over resource

allocation and use

Towards a set of principles

The purpose behind a new ‘brand’

• Enabling diverse groups (from local to national) to organize/galvanize support around a concept

• A global ‘clustering’ of activities to achieve a larger aim (more efficiently managing the use of green and blue water)

• Providing a conceptual ‘pivot’, for practical guidance…forcing thinking forward

• Unpacking - CSA

Impacts, results, challenges: GWI EA

• Substantial increases in income levels for poor farmers (x2-x3 recent examples from Ethiopia)– Increased farming area /

greater market engagement / high value crops

– Dry season farming

• Strong district buy-in; extension by demonstration

• Early adopters….evidence of ripple effect

• But issues that need addressing too

• Moving forward

– Launch of Sourcebook on Water Smart Agriculture in East Africa at World Water Forum

– Move towards formation of a WaSAAlliance

– Continued focus on investments and bottom-up learning