International research group launches $100-M water-saving scheme

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is launching a $100-million water challenge program that seeks to avert a global water crisis that could seriously hamper food production.

"The idea is to produce more food with less water," said Frank Rijsberman, director-general of the Sri Lanka-based International Water Management Institute and head of the CGIAR global water challenge program. An initial 18-member consortium was created to find immediate and sustainable solutions to prevent a water crisis in the agriculture sector.

Rijsberman said funding for the program will come largely from contributions from multilateral funding agencies such as the World Bank and CGIAR members such as The Netherlands which already pledged $25 million. Others such as Canada, France and Switzerland have also expressed interest in funding the program.

The program’s initial phase will take five years to implement and the focus of the program will be in 15 developing country river basins where water and agriculture science experts will find ways to improve the productivity of water in agriculture.

The program’s second phase will require at least $50 million and will be implemented for another five to 10 years.

The goal is to maintain the amount of water used to produce food at 2000 levels, while increasing the production of food to meet the requirements of developing world’s growing populations.

"With 70 percent of all available freshwater supplies used to grow food, and closer to 90 percent in developing countries, it is clear that the biggest potential for gaining more from our dwindling resources is to reduce the amount of water used in agriculture so that it can be used for other purposes. It is possible to produce food using less water while still maintaining the health of populations and keeping the environmental balance," Rijsberman said.

Water experts attending the CGIAR annual general meeting in Manila warned of an impending global water crisis that could slow down food production and worsen the problems of malnutrition and poverty, especially in developing countries such as the Philippines.

"Unless we change policies and priorities, in 20 years, there won‚t be enough water for cities, households, the environment or for growing food," said Peter Hazell, director of Environment and Production Technology at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

The IFPRI said in a report that by 2025 the annual losses in cereal production due to water scarcity could amount to 130 million metric tons which is double the annual US wheat crop.

Agriculture accounts for 70 percent of the world’s use of water but with rising populations, industrialization, urbanization and affluence in the developing world, the amount of water available for irrigation will be substantially reduced.

Under a crisis scenario, developing countries in Africa and Southeast Asia will suffer the most because of lack of water supply.

"Increased competition for water will severely limit the water available for irrigation, which in turn will seriously constrain the world‚s production of food. Declines in food supply could cause prices to skyrocket, and higher prices will lead to significant increases in malnutrition, since many people in developing countries already spend more than half their income on food," said Hazell, adding that poorer countries will also be forced to import more food because of lack of access to water supply.

The water challenge program has received the support and endorsement of donor countries, adding that the CGIAR is extending partnerships with non-government organizations, and development and extension services that work in rural areas.

"By opening the field to participation of a broad number of partners outside the traditional agricultural research community, the program ensures a long-term presence and continuity in local communities where the impacts of researches are focused," said Rijsberman.

The challenge program requires that 75 percent of all funds are given to the best projects proposed through a transparent competitive grant scheme. A minimum of 33 percent of the funds will be allotted to the national agricultural research systems in participating developing countries.

"It doesn’t take much to reverse the situation, it is still possible to have enough food, we just need proper water management," said Rijsberman.