IWRM AS AN APPROACH FOR FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE SADC REGION

AMOS MAJULEPh.D

amajule@ira.udsm.ac.tz(GWP-SA RTEC)

AND GWP-SA SECRETARIAT

1.0 Agriculture challenges in the SADC• Livelihoods in SADC countries depend on agriculture

employing between 60-80% of the RP• Agriculture most important economic sector accounting for

70-80% of total water use• Depends on rain which has so many challenges, still not

well developed to meet an ever increasing food demand• Apart from rain, other challenges;

– land degradation (soil and water degradation) – shocks and trends (floods, droughts, removal of subsidies on agric.

input – deterioration of water quality for agriculture – deterioration of both social and physical infrastructures – declining budget on agriculture and many other related factors and – lack of integrated approaches for managing agriculture.

• Nearly between 40 and 60% of communities in RA are food insecure for a period of between 2 and 4 months per year

• Water has been recognized to be the most limiting factor for agriculture: – Only 19% of the region receives more than 1500 mm of rain

annually while 24% receives less than 500 mm each year.– Significant increase in water demand by other not agricultural

sectors • Climate change and variability further compound the problem

– Reduction on underground water– Excessive surface runoff due to floods – Increasing temperature-the rate of water loss through

evaporation– Clearing of vegetation (deforestation, expansion of agricultural

land) led to loss of water storage

=Food production problem in most areas: increasing rural poverty=

Food insecurity arises when people do not have physical and economic access to sufficient safe, nutritious, and culturally acceptable food to meet their dietary needs.

• Based on the declaration made by SADC heads of state in 2004, there is no way that food security will be achieved in the region, an integrated approach in managing water resource is necessary;– At community level (upstream-down stream relationships)– Sub basin (within countries)– Basin – Nationals (shared water, basins)– Regional (eg Nile Basin Initiative, Zambezi etc)

• Therefore calls for Improving/strengthening water resource management in order to address the challenges that exists “through IWRM”

2.0 WHAT IS INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (IWRM)?

• By 2050, the share for agricultural water will have declined to about 60 and 70% as a result of competing water demands

• Need for critical and realistic evaluation of water use efficiency in our countries so that water can be used effectively in order to achieve the MDGs

– IWRM is a process that promotes the co-ordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising sustainability of vital ecosystems.

• In this context, anti-poverty efforts around the world, guided by the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and country-level strategies, increasingly recognizing the importance of good water management if poverty and hunger is to be allaeviated”.

The cross-sectoral integration between water use sub-sectors, and the role of IWRM in their linkage, is illustrated in the “GWP comb” below:

General framework for IWRM

• It build resilience taking into account water demands for 3 key aspects; – Social equity (human survival)

• For example encouraging structured engagement of communities and other impacted sectors into its management (gender consideration)

• Access of water for domestic use by different groups including the poor (also equal distribution and welfare)

• Voice of disadvantaged groups particularly women – Economic efficiency

• Promotes efficiency and effective ways of using water for example efficiency water use for irrigation (establishing water demands for crops, appropriate water management etc)

• More production (also issues of market economics)– Environmental sustainability

• Balanced water supply to maintain ecosystems eg soils, forest, wildlife, wetlands which plays significant roles on community livelihoods

3.0 IWRM AS AN APPROACH FOR ADRESSING NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• IWRM creates a framework for water management options to be introduced into broader national development planning in a structured way

• IWRM engages water users to develop solutions to challenges that are appropriate in terms of social and environmental impacts as well as economic efficiency

• IWRM can provide input to National Development by highlighting areas of constraints to pro poor development, Identify development options too.

• In 2002 World Summit, called an assistance to develop countries in efforts to prepare IWRM: In this context, GWP-SA has been at the frontier line in terms of;

– Creating conducive institutional environment for example support the establishment of CWP which implements a number of projects

– Implementing GWP strategies, goal 1 (promoting water as a key part for sustainable national development) through IWRM, good governance, financing and appropriate infrastructure

– Goal 2, addressing critical development challenges by contributing and advocating solutions to critical challenges

• Climate change

• Growing urbanization

• Food production

• Resource use conflicts

Policy issues…….in achieving food security • Change the way we think about water and agriculture

– Consider agriculture as an agro ecosystem Vs other ecosystems• Fight poverty by improving access to agriculture water and its

use (multiple use of water: domestic, agroforestry, livest. Aquaculture, etc.

• Manage agriculture to enhance ecosystem service • Increase water productivity

– Limit land degradation, efficient water use• Upgrade rain fed systems – a little water can go a long way

– Soil moisture, supplementary irrigation etc• Adapt yesterday’s irrigation to tomorrows needs

– Modernize, mix technology, integrate with livestock, fishery etc• Reform the reform process-targeting state institutions • Deal with trade offs and make difficult choices

4.0 SOLUTIONS NEEDED TOWARDS IWRM-FOOD SECURITY • Promote IWRM by engaging sectors and link with national development

goals• Bring water and agricultural very close starting from local levels,

catchments, sub basins, basins and possibly into trans boundary or shared basins

• Water resource varies across countries: There is a need to promote/ develop strategies on how water resources can be shared, also benefits

• This calls for effective regional integration taking into account (shared vision programs on common water)

• Research and capacity building of different boundary partners within agricultural and water sectors is crucial

– Information, products etc (strengthen AGRIC. INNOVATION SYSTEMS)

5.0 Key messages

• CC change is inevitable, it will continue to change and its impacts on water resources will be amplified.

• IWRM – the best approach to manage water resources and thus address food insecurity

• Countries be equipped with new tools to enable them to develop appropriate approaches to address the common food insecurity.

• Investing to increase agriculture production, trade within and between countries

• To achieve food security, the burden must not be left to agric and water sector alone, different sectors needs to sit together in order to define their roles, harmonize policies, address technical and financial issues

Thank You for Your AttentionAsante sana