25 to 30 August. The World Water Week in Stockholm is an annual focal point for the globe’s water issues. Organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), and supported by the United Nations water programs. The purpose of the annual meeting is to bring the world’s attention to water-related challenges occurring in almost every part if the world. Water is so critical that its problems affect, and are affected by, all others - economy, poverty, population, waterborne diseases, famine, migration and violence.
By 2050, global demand for water will increase by as much as 50%, mostly in developing countries in Asia and Africa. At the same time, food production will need to increase by 70% to feed a growing and more prosperous population that will top 10 billion.
Water-related challenges will grow with climate change and improved water governance is necessary to reach the UN SDGs. Decision support based on information and communication technologies (ICT) are powerful instruments.
What is the potential opportunity in scaling up across Africa to improve food production and reduce poverty? It requires the involvement and engagement of many different players at all levels, including adequate investment, supportive policies and effective political leadership and programs such as TIARA.
Opportunities around investing in rainfed irrigation across Africa - H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, African Union Commission
Introductory exercise on the key challenges facing African rainfed agriculture - Katherine Madden, Process Facilitator, SIWI
The impact of rainfed irrigation and green water management on farmers in different settings in Africa - TBC
Presentation on the impact of the Billion Dollar Business Alliance for Rainwater Harvesting - Maimbo Malesu, Theme Leader, Water Management, ICRAF
Presentation on the impact Drylands Development Programme - Assefa Tofu, DryDev Program Manager, Worldvision Ethiopia
Panel: What enablers will support the scale up improved rainfed agriculture / rainfed irrigation across Africa?
Ines Gasmi, IWRM Coordinator, Water Youth Network
Lisbeth Jespersen, Head of International Partnerships and Fundraising, IDH
Nick Tandi, Senior Water Resources Management Specialist, World Bank (invited)
Peter Vos, Global Water Sector Lead, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
This event discussed how innovative technologies can support inclusive and sustainable agriculture and benefit vulnerable groups. It will show practical applications based on free data and open source technologies to improve informed decision making for increased water and land productivity in agriculture both at field level and for policy-making.
Remote sensing for monitoring water productivity: FAO WaPOR open access database - Jippe Hoogeveen, FAO
Water productivity monitoring in arid areas - Atef Swelam, ICARDA
Climate data to improve farmers' resilience - Moussa Waongo, Agrhymet
Panel discussion on “Big data for improving agricultural productivity”
Hesham Bekhit, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt
Aart van der Horst, Government of The Netherlands
Eddy Moors, IHE-Delft
Jennie Barron, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
The session will draw lessons from state, technical and investor experiences in three situations to ensure full value from IWRM planning: South Sudan, Somalia and Gambia
H2O Maghreb is a public-private partnership initiative aiming to improve industrial and municipal water management practices in Morocco. The project upgrades the skills and employability of youth, trainers and water professionals through a dedicated cutting-edge training that adapts most recent technological innovations like virtual reality and automation technology to local needs.
State of knowledge from research and practice on Farmer Led Irrigation
Peter McCornick, Executive Director, Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, University of Nebraska
Greg Browder, Lead, Water Security and Integrated Resource Management, World Bank
Case studies
Analyzing business models for smallholder irrigation service provision in Rwanda - Vivian Nguyen, Caleb Milliken and Grace Mukarusagara, DWFI
Piloting Farmer-led Irrigation in Uganda - Regassa Namara, Senior Economist, Water Global Practice, World Bank Group
Integrated business models for farmer-led solar irrigation development in Ethiopia - Petra Schmitter, IWMI
Irrigation in the renewal of agriculture in Messica, central Mozambique - Phil Woodhouse, Studying African Farmer-led Irrigation (SAFI), University of Manchester
Socio-economic differentiation in Farmer-led Irrigation Development in Kahe, Tanzania - Chris de Bont, Studying African Farmer-led Irrigation (SAFI), Stockholm University
Gender and water technologies: Water lifting for irrigation and multiple purposes in Ethiopia - Likimyelesh Nigussie, IWMI
After CGIAR's Science Week had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, the event has been rescheduled and will take place from 7 - 12 April 2025 in Nairobi. Further updates will be available on CGIAR’s website soon.
Join us for the 3rd International Laâyoune Forum on Biosaline and Arid Land Agriculture, taking place from May 20-22, 2025, in Laayoune, Morocco and organized by ICARDA and partners.
