Your search found 345 records
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047428)
(0.22 MB)
The paper argues for an integrated approach to the management of water-related disasters that becomes a full part of the political decision-making process at the earliest possible moment and focuses on preparedness, mitigating their negative impacts and also considering their positive impacts, particularly those of floods. By doing this, there is an opportunity to consider the three pillars of sustainable development, and understand the options that exist and the trade-offs that may need to be made between economic efficiency, environmental sustainability and social equity. Within the post-2015 agenda, water-related disasters are addressed by targets under a number of different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As climate change becomes an ever-more-present reality, whose impacts are often experienced through water-related disasters such as floods and droughts, there is an urgent need to build disaster-resilient societies through more integrated policies and practices, including stakeholders’ perspectives and a partnership approach. The paper provides stakeholder perspectives and approaches from around the world that are putting these ideas into practice.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047560)
(0.59 MB)
This paper analyses key contributors to sustainable livelihoods in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB), Cambodia, by focusing upon villagers’ access to assets, adaptation to shock and stress, and their degree of resilience to declines in natural resources. The study reveals that their access to the five assets for sustainable livelihoods is limited; that their capacity to adapt to shock and stress is low due to floods, drought and high food prices; and that their resilience to declines in natural resources is weak. Improvement in their capacity to adapt and in their resilience will be influenced by the degree to which they can access human, physical and social assets.
3 Grafton, R. Q.; McLindin, M.; Hussey, K.; Wyrwoll, P.; Wichelns, D.; Ringler, C.; Garrick, D.; Pittock, J.; Wheeler, S.; Orr, S.; Matthews, N.; Ansink, E.; Aureli, A.; Connell, D.; De Stefano, L.; Dowsley, K.; Farolfi, S.; Hall, J.; Katic, Pamela; Lankford, B.; Leckie, H.; McCartney, Matthew; Pohlner, H.; Ratna, N.; Rubarenzya, M. H.; Raman, S. N. S.; Wheeler, K.; Williams, J. 2016. Responding to global challenges in food, energy, environment and water: risks and options assessment for decision-making. Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, 3(2):275-299. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.128]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047589)
(1.14 MB) (1.14 MB)
We analyse the threats of global environmental change, as they relate to food security. First, we review three discourses: (i) ‘sustainable intensification’, or the increase of food supplies without compromising food producing inputs, such as soils and water; (ii) the ‘nexus’ that seeks to understand links across food, energy, environment and water systems; and (iii) ‘resilience thinking’ that focuses on how to ensure the critical capacities of food, energy and water systems are maintained in the presence of uncertainties and threats. Second, we build on these discourses to present the causal, risks and options assessment for decision-making process to improve decisionmaking in the presence of risks. The process provides a structured, but flexible, approach that moves from problem diagnosis to better risk-based decision-making and outcomes by responding to causal risks within and across food, energy, environment and water systems.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047640)
(1.40 MB)
A water supply system can be impacted by rainfall reduction due to climate change, thereby reducing its supply potential. This highlights the need to understand the system resilience, which refers to the ability to maintain service under various pressures (or disruptions). Currently, the concept of resilience has not yet been widely applied in managing water supply systems. This paper proposed three technical resilience indictors to assess the resilience of a water supply system. A case study analysis was undertaken of the Water Grid system of Queensland State, Australia, to showcase how the proposed indicators can be applied to assess resilience. The research outcomes confirmed that the use of resilience indicators is capable of identifying critical conditions in relation to the water supply system operation, such as the maximum allowable rainfall reduction for the system to maintain its operation without failure. Additionally, resilience indicators also provided useful insight regarding the sensitivity of the water supply system to a changing rainfall pattern in the context of climate change, which represents the system’s stability when experiencing pressure. The study outcomes will help in the quantitative assessment of resilience and provide improved guidance to system operators to enhance the efficiency and reliability of a water supply system.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 338.927 G000 IND Record No: H047643)
(0.30 MB)
6 Rockstrom, J.; Williams, J.; Daily, G.; Noble, A.; Matthews, N.; Gordon, L.; Wetterstrand, H.; DeClerck, F.; Shah, M.; Steduto, P.; de Fraiture, C.; Hatibu, N.; Unver, O.; Bird, Jeremy; Sibanda, L.; Smith, J. 2017. Sustainable intensification of agriculture for human prosperity and global sustainability. Ambio, 46(1):4-17. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-016-0793-6]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047656)
(1.93 MB)
There is an ongoing debate on what constitutes sustainable intensification of agriculture (SIA). In this paper, we propose that a paradigm for sustainable intensification can be defined and translated into an operational framework for agricultural development. We argue that this paradigm must now be defined—at all scales—in the context of rapidly rising global environmental changes in the Anthropocene, while focusing on eradicating poverty and hunger and contributing to human wellbeing. The criteria and approach we propose, for a paradigm shift towards sustainable intensification of agriculture, integrates the dual and interdependent goals of using sustainable practices to meet rising human needs while contributing to resilience and sustainability of landscapes, the biosphere, and the Earth system. Both of these, in turn, are required to sustain the future viability of agriculture. This paradigm shift aims at repositioning world agriculture from its current role as the world’s single largest driver of global environmental change, to becoming a key contributor of a global transition to a sustainable world within a safe operating space on Earth.
7 Harcourt, W.; Nelson, I. L. (Eds.) 2015. Practicing feminist political ecologies: moving beyond the 'green economy'. London, UK: Zed Books. 326p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 305.42 G000 HAR Record No: H047669)
(0.29 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047685)
(1.17 MB) (1.17 MB)
Given the challenges facing African agriculture resulting from climate-induced stresses, building resilience is a priority. Seed systems are important for enhancing such resilience as seed security has direct links to food security, and resilient livelihoods in general. Using data from a case study in West Nile region in Uganda, we studied practices in farmer seed systems and decisions, particularly in response to climate-induced stress. Results helped to generate recommendations for enhancing seed system resilience. We used social-ecological framework and multinomial logit model to analyze seed systems and factors influencing farmers' decisions about seed use respectively. Farmers ranked drought as the most important climate factor affecting crop production. With over 50% of farmer seed sourced on farm, the effect of climate factors on seed system functioning was perceived in relation to diminishing levels in quantity and quality of yield. Decline in yield affected farmer seed saving, increased grain prices due to high demand, affecting seed availability and affordability. The relative importance of seed sources varied during normal and stress periods, and by crop. Farmers tended to shift from farm-saved seed to social networks and local markets during stress periods. Local Seed Businesses emerged as an alternative source of planting material during stress periods. Formal seed enterprises were important in delivering improved seed, especially for maize, though their importance during stress periods diminished. Farmer characteristics and ecological factors played a role in defining the type of seed used, though their significance varied by crop. We recommend an approach that integrates farmer seed systems with the formal system in general, but specifically focusing on strengthening social networks, promoting farmer seed enterprises and crop adaptation practices at farm scale.
9 Corner-Dolloff, C.; Aggarwal, P.; Forch, W.; Rodriguez, A.-M., L.; Rosenstock, T.; Girvetz, E.; Frid-Nielsen, S.; Lacombe, Guillaume; Millan, A. 2016. National planning. In Dinesh, D. (Ed). Adaptation measures in agricultural systems: messages to SBSTA 44 Agriculture Workshops. Copenhagen, Denmark: CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) pp.19-28. (CCAFS Working Paper 145)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047658)
(9 MB)
10 Amarnath, Giriraj; Clark, James. 2016. Drought monitoring system helps strengthen resiliency to climate change. World Water, 39(1)January-February:14-15.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047696)
(2.98 MB)
11 Kasei, R. A.; Amisigo, B.; Mul, Marloes L. 2016. Managing floods and droughts. In Williams, Timothy O.; Mul, Marloes L.; Biney, C. A.; Smakhtin, Vladimir (Eds.). The Volta River Basin: water for food, economic growth and environment. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.76-91.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047726)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047785)
(275 KB)
Freshwater ecosystems are central to the global water cycle, in local generation of freshwater flows, and the healthy functioning and resilience of other ecosystems. Freshwater security depends on healthy ecosystems. Current human threats to freshwater ecosystems include rapid infrastructure development and land-use change, inefficient water use and over-abstraction, and pollutants. These threats, combined with increasing demand for water resources, exacerbate the sustainable development challenge. By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population may be living in conditions of severe water stress. It is essential to find solutions that provide for the maintenance of freshwater ecosystems while meeting human needs. This paper examines responses to three pressures to freshwater ecosystems: declining ecosystem services, hydropower and urban development. It explores opportunities for improved decision-making and enhanced resilience including: better evaluation of trade-offs and interlinkages; improved monitoring; decision-making that incorporates long-term perspectives and risks; and the leveraging of crises to advance change.
13 Semasinghe, Christina; Benders, Jorien; Vairavamoorthy, Visakan; Fernando, Sudarshana; Drechsel, Pay. 2016. Vulnerability and resilience of the urban food system to extreme weather: a case study of Colombo, Sri Lanka [Abstract only]. In Centre de cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD). International Conference on Agri-Chains and Sustainable Development: Linking Local and Global Dynamics, Montpellier, France, 12-14 December 2016. Abstracts Book. Paris, France: Centre de cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD). pp.180-181.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047892)
(0.05 MB) (1.84 MB)
14 Drechsel, Pay; Karg, H.; Appoh, Richard Kofi; Akoto-Danso, E. 2016. Resilience of rural-urban food flows in West Africa [Abstract only]. In Centre de cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD). International Conference on Agri-Chains and Sustainable Development: Linking Local and Global Dynamics, Montpellier, France, 12-14 December 2016. Abstracts Book. Paris, France: Centre de cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD). pp.182.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047893)
(0.04 MB) (1.84 MB)
15 Manthrithilake, Herath. 2016. Towards an ecosystem inclusive approach in tea plantations. In Eliatamby, N. Worth protecting: how Sri Lanka’s tea plantation companies are helping biodiversity thrive. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform. pp.84-99.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047939)
(8.74 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048016)
(1.67 MB)
This article addresses the need to profoundly expand the way we think about freshwater. Stressing water’s role as the bloodstream of the biosphere, the article highlights water’s functions in sustaining life on the planet (control, state and moisture feedback functions), the role of water partitioning changes in inducing non-linear change at multiple scales, and humanity’s influence on a social-ecological system’s capacity to adapt and continue to function. It reviews water’s roles during its journey through the upper layers of the land mass, different types of water–ecosystem interactions, and water’s roles in landscape-scale resilience building.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048085)
(0.41 MB)
Tribal peoples globally are among the most vulnerable groups to climate change and variability. This is due to a combination of their relative poverty and their dependence on agriculture and natural support systems (NSS). Hence programmes that simultaneously help to reduce poverty and vulnerability to climate change are needed. The Indian Government has launched the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), an incentive-based programme addressing vulnerability to poverty, climate change and NSS by integrating natural systems (water, land, soil) and human systems (employment opportunities). Here we show that the vulnerability related to climate variability, agriculture, water and household economic conditions has decreased significantly due to MGNREGA interventions. Specifically, water availability, diversification of agriculture, crop yield and income have all increased. Besides the decreased vulnerability to climate change due to better access to water, the intervention has also increased employment opportunities and daily wage levels have almost doubled, thus improving the economic status of tribal peoples. These changes have led to improved living conditions, facilitating better adaptation to both natural and economic stresses. This case study illustrates the potential of well-designed government programmes to contribute to sustainable development through improving adaptive capacity and by combating poverty and vulnerability to climate change among marginalised people.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048124)
After a hiatus through the 1990s and the early part of this century, rising energy demand, new private sector financing options and countries pursuing food security, modernization and economic growth have spurred a new era of large dam development. Currently an estimated 3700 dams are planned or under construction globally (Zarfl et al., [2015] 77, 161–170). Many of the challenges faced in the context of the water-energy-food nexus are brought into sharp focus by large dam construction. Dams can safeguard food production, provide an important source of income and relatively cheap electricity, and can have direct and indirect benefits for poor people. Too often, however, they have created significant and poorly mitigated environmental and social costs (WCD, [2000] London: Earthscan Publications Ltd). Adverse impacts on ecosystem services caused by dam construction can have profound implications for the health, resilience and livelihoods of the poor. This article explores the challenges facing decision makers with regards to building resilience and navigating risk within the water-energy-food nexus and dams. It draws from two progressive case studies, one in Africa and one in Asia, to highlight lessons learned from nexus approaches including the need for meaningful participation, transparency in decision making, and valuing ecosystem services. The case studies examined contain relevant lessons for global agreements including the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement because unlike the Millennium Development Goals, they are expected to address interlinkages and tradeoffs across the nexus. The implications of the increasing trend of public private partnerships to finance, build, and operate hydropower dams is discussed. The article concludes by demonstrating that although mitigating impacts across the nexus and social-ecological resilience presents challenges and requires overcoming complexity, the need to tackle these is greater than ever.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048150)
(1.10 MB)
This article addresses the following and related questions: (1) What is water security, and is it related to food security, energy security, health security and ecological security? (2) What factors impact water security? (3) What are the challenges in meeting water security? (4) What can be done to ensure water security? (5) Is water security entirely a technical problem? (6) What systems need to be engineered to help ensure water security? It further offers a personal perspective on water security and engineering solutions.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 ADE Record No: H048210)
(1.16 MB)
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