By Sharon Atieno
Ensuring water safety continues to be a significant issue in the East African area, where one out of every five individuals lacks access to clean drinking water. The recurrent cycles of drought and flooding caused by the climate crisis are expected to exacerbate this problem further.
In light of these circumstances, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), an international research-for-development organization, has initiated a new program. A six-year (2024-2030) revolutionary plan To boost water security, aid in climate adaptation, and promote sustainable farming throughout the area.
“Water security means considering how much water you have, water of sufficient quality and being able to manage risks – drought, floods, extreme events – in ways that livelihoods and lives, the economy and ecosystems can all thrive together,” said Mark Smith, IMWI’s Director General during the launch at the sidelines of the CGIAR Science week in Nairobi, Kenya.
Ensuring water security inherently involves an interconnected approach, which our strategy emphasizes... By achieving water security, you can instigate broad changes throughout various systems when you improve accessibility to water and promote more sustainable and equitable distribution among differing usage needs.
This approach zeroes in on three key focus areas: reducing water-related threats, ensuring sustainable water management, and addressing worldwide disparities.
In addressing water-related challenges, IMWI will focus on minimizing threats posed by droughts, floods, and interconnected systemic water issues, as well as decreasing carbon emissions within water infrastructure, tackling water contamination, and enhancing resilience among populations impacted by instability, conflicts, and displacement. The primary objective is to decrease vulnerabilities associated with water and guarantee that climate initiatives incorporate plans to proactively manage and swiftly adapt to both present and anticipated shifts in water hazards.
When addressing water sustainability, the emphasis lies on enhancing food security and supporting farmers' incomes, reallocating water away from agricultural use when future needs cannot be sustained, protecting biodiversity and restoring ecosystems, as well as making informed choices about water infrastructure and distribution. The objective is to implement durable water strategies that can cope with rising and conflicting requirements for fresh water more extensively and rapidly.
When addressing worldwide disparities, the topics discussed encompass equitable access to and governance of water resources; income levels, employment opportunities, as well as water and food safety; utilization of various valuations and understandings of water; and fostering youth leadership. The primary objective is to enhance gender parity, promote youth involvement, and boost social inclusiveness so that everyone can equally benefit from secure water supplies, thereby alleviating poverty and guaranteeing comprehensive coverage in water resource management.
Abdulkarim H. Seid, IWMI’s Regional Representative for East Africa, outlined the region's key focuses and explained how the strategy would support sustainable development goals through advanced research and collaborations.
“The challenges facing East Africa, as with other parts of the world, require collective action. The strategy will guide IWMI’s work in the region, ensuring that we co-design and co-develop solutions with local communities, governments, academia, private sector and other key partners to build resilient and innovative water systems for a sustainable future,” Seid explained.
IMWI's approach aligns perfectly with the updated One CGIAR Water Systems Integration Roadmap (2024-2030). This roadmap pioneers the use of collaborative efforts within CGIAR and further afield to harness scientific advancements for enhancing water security.
