Making agriculture resilient for climate change: Water scarcity, an opportunity for action and collaboration

Praia, Cabo Verde, West Africa, 7-10 February 2023

Following its launch during the UNFCCCs COP 21 in Marrakech Morocco in November 2016,the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture(WASAG) has steadily received recognition and mandate to support countries in finding solutions to cope with climate change in agriculture in the face of climate change.

In April 2017, a meeting of Partners agreed to establish a WASAG partnership to be hosted by FAO to advance the mandate of the Framework.

Emerging from its foundational years, WASAG held itsfirst international forumwith the themeLeaving no one behindfrom 19 to 22 March 2019 in Praia, Cabo Verde, where the partners under the leadership of the six WASAG working groups developed and adoptedthe Praia Commitments.

With the contribution of its 70 partners, WASAG has since developed itsstrategy for 2021-2024. WASAG is set to further play a greater role in developing collaborative actions as solutions to the increasing challenges posed by climate change and the resulting water scarcity, in order to make agriculture more resilient. The second WASAG international forum, which is again hosted by the Government of Cabo Verde provided the setting for this step.

To mobilize political commitment to accelerate strategic actions, including policies and investments for addressing water scarcity in agriculture

To formulate messages that will raise the profile of water scarcity in agriculture in the climate change dialogues at the forthcoming at the UN Water Conference in March 2023 and UNFCCC COP 28 in November 2023

To discuss ways of making the partnership more effective and impactful for the implementation of the new WASAG Strategy 2021-2024 and involving all Partners

To share relevant knowledge and information on key issues and to network and to foster collaboration among partners

To showcase latest technologies, practices and products in agriculture (through the fair)

The forum aimed to promote and position agriculture at the core of climate change discussions in view of the forthcoming events and beyond:

UN Water conference (New York, 22-24 March 2023) Comprehensive mid-term review of the implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028.

UNFCCC COP 28 (United Arab Emirates, 6-17 November 2023) Climate Change

The forum also aimed to define the actions and review the modus operandi of WASAG in order to accelerate the delivery of the Framework and its Partnership on its mandate.

During the 2nd WASAG International Forum, the participants endorsedthe Praia Call for Actionas a second step towards decisive and concrete actions to be taken. This followsthe Praia Commitment, adopted during the1st WASAG International Forumin March 2019.

Read the Praia Call for Action here.

Moderator: Ruhiza Jean Boroto,Senior Land and Water Officer, FAO

QU Dongyu, Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (by delegation Lifeng Li)

Master of ceremony: Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO

Welcome remarks: H. E. Gilberto Silva,Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Cabo Verde

Jos Arlindo Barreto, Rector of University of Cabo Verde

Ana Touza, FAO Representative in Cabo Verde

H. E. Pio Wennubst, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Organizations in Rome

Concluding remarks: H. E. Jos Ulisses Correia e Silva, Prime Minister of the Government of Cabo Verde

10:30 11:00 Photo group and Press conference

10:30 11:00 Photo group and Press conference

11:00 12:30 SPECIAL SESSION CABO VERDE

11:00 12:30 SPECIAL SESSION CABO VERDE

Chairman: Miguel Ângelo Barreto da Moura, State Secretary for Agricultural Economy, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Cabo Verde

Keynote: H. E. Gilberto Silva,Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Cabo Verde

Eneida Rodrigues, Directorate General for Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock, DGASP

Nora Helena Ramos Silva, President of Instituto Nacional de Investigação e Desenvolvimento Agrrio (INIDA)

Cludio Lopes dos Santos, President of Agncia Nacional de gua e Saneamento (ANAS)

Angela Moreno, President of Aguas de Rega (AdR)

Dami Pujol, guas de Ponta Preta (APP)

Nilton Duarte, guas de Santiago, Lda (AdS, Private Sector)

Concluding remarks: Miguel Ângelo Barreto da Moura, State Secretary for Agricultural Economy, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Cabo Verde

Chairman: Paulo Dias, Land and Water Division, FAO

Moderator: Jennie Baron,Professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

Keynote: Stineke Oenema, Executive Secretary, UN Nutrition (TBC)

Capture and carrying forward WASAG Working Group Water & Nutrition key messages, Jennie Baron

Evaluation of the removal of pharmaceutical residues in wastewater. Case study: Santa Cruz and Santa Catarina Wastewater Treatment Plants, Maria doc Anjos Lopez, Universidade de Cabo Verde (TBC)

Interactive part with session participants:

What do we need to do better on SDG 2 and nutrition to achieve SDG 6?

What can WASAG network contribute to?

Concluding remarks: Lifeng Li, Land and Water Division, FAO

Closing: Paulo Dias,Land and Water Division, FAO

13:30 15:00 Technical session 1.b: Saline agriculture

13:30 15:00 Technical session 1.b: Saline agriculture

Development of sustainable agricultural production systems in the face of climate change in Cape Verde, focusing on community and resilient agriculture in areas with propensity to salinity Nora Silva, President of INIDA, Cabo Verde

Salinization of soils and water in Santlago Island-Cape Verde - Antonio Pedro Pina, Hydrogeologist of ANAS, Cabo Verde

Irrigation management in Saline Agriculture: trends and perspectives Marco Arcieri, Vice-President of ICID, Italy

Introducing International Network of Salt-Affected Soils, Katarzyna Negacz, Vrije Universiteit, Institute for Environmental Studies, The Netherlands

Saline Agriculture in hot desert regions: a roadmap for a sustainable Farm-to-Fork approach Dionysia Lyra, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), United Arab Emirates

13:30 15:00 Side event 1: Achieving SDG6 in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

13:30 15:00 Side event 1: Achieving SDG6 in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Moderator: Katya Neves, FAO Cabo Verde

Welcome and presentation of the objectives of the side event Katya Neves, FAO Cabo Verde

SDG 6.4 monitoring in SIDS at global level Patricia Mejias, AQUASTAT Coordinator, FAO

The SDG 6 IWRM Support Programme Valentin Aich, Senior Water and Climate Specialist, Global Water Partnership (GWP) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

SDG 6 progress in Cabo Verde: priorities and challenges Marize Gominho, Executive Administrator and Engineer, National Water and Sanitation Agency (ANAS), Cabo Verde

Data collection and analysis for SDG 6 monitoring in Cabo Verde Nereida Moreira, Coordinator of the Planning and Monitoring Office, National Institute of Statistics, Cabo Verde

Expert panel: The way forward to ensure SDG 6 monitoring and progress in SIDS:

Peter G. McCornick, executive director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska

Robert Stefanski, Chief of the Agricultural Meteorology Division in the Climate and Water Department, WMO

Mariet Verhoef-Cohen, President of Women for Water Partnership, WfWP

Conclusion and way forward: Patricia Mejias, AQUASTAT Coordinator, FAO

Moderator: Patricia Mejias Moreno,AQUASTAT Coordinator, FAO

Opportunities for water reuse for food production in arid climate conditions The case study of Moçâmedes in AngolaJos Saldanha Matos

Rehabilitation of Ribeira de Vinha WWTP, in São Vicente, considering the safe reuse of treated wastewater for food productionJos Saldanha Matos

Faecal sludge management, treatment and reuse in agriculture The case study of Maputo and biosolids reuse potential in Cape VerdeVera Garcia

Methodological guidelines for treated wastewater reuse in Cape Verde Filipa Ferreira

Phos-Value Project: Sustainable nutrient recycle from wastewaters, an initiative promoted by UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge Marize Gominho, ANAS

Eng. Nilton Duarte, Executive Administrator of Agua de Santiago Company (AdS)

Invited remarks: Eugene Rurangwa, Land and Water Officer, FAO Sub Regional Office for West Africa

International Drought Resilience Alliance: The Way forward

Opening speech:Ania Grobicki, Senior Water Advisor, FAO

Keynote: Miriam Medel, The International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA)

What is the added value of a global approach to drought resilience? Who should be the main players? How can we enhance ensure IDRA is fit for purpose? What are the missing elements? How can we fill the gap?

Marco Arcieri, International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage Drought Prediction in Italy (ICID)

Watershed Management for mitigation of droughts in India Amar Dhere, College of Home Science, India

Vera Garcia, Trend of precipitation values as an indicator of groundwater availability in Cabo Verde

15:30 17:00 Side event 2: Guidelines on pressurized irrigation systems

15:30 17:00 Side event 2: Guidelines on pressurized irrigation systems

Voluntary guidelines for design and management of pressurized irrigation distribution systems, including engineering design Nicola Lamaddalena

Governance-Policy section the importance of sustainable and responsible water management, beginning with the origin of water resources, their respective and cautious use Alessandro Leto, Water Academy

Agronomics steps to be considered during the design phase of a pressurized irrigation system Filiberto Altobelli, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA)

Designing an on-farm irrigation network, starting from calculating irrigation parameter, performance indicators and distribution system Paolo Enrico Sertoli, AICS

Economics of irrigation: a methodology for planning and managing pressurized irrigation systems to maximize farmer incomes and cost-benefit analysis Raffaella Zucaro, CREA

Energy requirements: Improving an irrigation systems efficiency can save both water and energy Nicola Colonna, ENEA

Case study from Cabo Verde Benvindo Monteiro Gomes, Ministry of Agriculture of Cabo Verde

Discussion with the participants (physical and virtual) focusing on field insights on agricultural water management food and nutrition in a water scarcity contex, including audience Q&A

Day 2 Wednesday 8 February 2023 (CVT/UTC -1)

8:30 9:00 Debriefing of the day

8:30 9:00 Debriefing of the day

9:00 10:30 FAO ON NOVEL APPROACHES

9:00 10:30 FAO ON NOVEL APPROACHES

Key presentation: FAO novel approaches on water Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO

Comments from FAO Land and Water staff:

Perspective from the field Eugene Rurangwa, Land and Water Officer, FAO Sub Regional Office for West Africa

The role of monitoring and data Patricia MejiasMoreno, AQUASTAT coordinator, FAO

Approach to water scarcity Ruhiza Jean Boroto, Senior Land and Water Officer, FAO

Abdoulaye Mohamadou, Comit Permanent Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Scheresse dans le Sahel (CILSS) Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel

Civil Society Organizations and NGOs:

Response from FAO Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO

Conclusion and next steps: Maher Salman

Launch of the publication developed by

10:30 11:00 Coffee break Poster exhibition

10:30 11:00 Coffee break Poster exhibition

11:00 12:30 Technical session 2.a: Water and migration

11:00 12:30 Technical session 2.a: Water and migration

Opening: Charity Osei-Amponsah, Regional researcher, IWMI-Ghana

Thematic talk: Sinafekesh Girma Wolde, Paolo DOdorico, and Maria Cristina Rulli

Experiences on migration in CILSS countries in West Africa Abdoulaye Mohamadou, Secretaire Executif du CILSS

Discourse by Hind Aissaoui Bennani (IOM) on Key recommendations for UN 2023 water conference:

From the World Water Forum to COP28 Key recommendations to the UN 2023 Water Conference

Collaboration on Water and Migration for comprehensive and tailored recommendations

Conclusions: Charity Osei-Amponsah, Regional Researcher IWMI

11:00 12:30 Technical session 2.b: Inclusive Farmer-led Water Management

11:00 12:30 Technical session 2.b: Inclusive Farmer-led Water Management

Moderator:Peter G. McCornick, Executive director, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska

Overview, progress and challenges in farmer-led irrigation at scale Amare Haileslassie (IWMI)

Irrigation-as-a-Service as a Tool for Supporting Smallholder Farmers Grace Mukarusagara, Natacha Akaliza and Raïssa Urujeni, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI)

Case study from Kenya and report: With Women Better Results in Water Management Mariet Verhoef-Cohen, Women for Water Partnership (WfWP)

Opening remarks: Felix Reinders, WASAG Chair

Water for food, water for life: The drylands challenge Vinay Nangia

Accurate Estimation of crop water requirements using new technologies (COSMOS, Scintillometers, and Eddy Covariance) Ragab Ragab

Estimation of CWR using the the FAO CropWat approach: the case of Southern Italy Hydrographic District Authority Marco Arcieri, ICID

Technological solutions from the Water-Energy-Ecosystems nexus perspectives to improve the well-being of communities in African drylands Thameur Chaibi,National Research Institute for Rural Engineering, Water, and Forestry (INRGREF)

Feasibility of low-cost renewable-powered integrated electrodialysis desalination and low-energy drip irrigation systems designed for arid areas with brackish groundwater Susan Amrose, MIT

Farmers decision-making with an app for climate risk management in drylands Mitsuru Tsubo, Tottori University

Ways of improving water productivity of pistachio trees orchards in arid area Mohamed Ghrab,Institution of Agronomic Research and Higher Education, Olive Institute, Tunisia

Consquences des inondations doctobre et novembre 2022 dans la valle du Sourou au Burkina Faso Karambiri Bienvenue L. Chantal N.,Institut des Sciences des Socits (INSS/CNRST)

13:30 15:00 Technical session 2.d: Innovation, Technology/Data and Science

13:30 15:00 Technical session 2.d: Innovation, Technology/Data and Science

Moderator: Peter McCornick, Executive director, DWFI

Digital Agriculture: The Future of Large-Scale Production Systems? Christopher Neale (DWFI)

Irrigating from Space: Using Remote Sensing for Water Management Andry Rajaoberison (FAO)

Making agriculture resilient for climate change in transboundary water scarcity between Algeria, Tunisia and Libya an opportunity for action and collaboration Badiaa Chelli, Water Research and Technologies Centre

Agri-Integrated Photovoltaics for Reuse of Water for Irrigation (Acronym: SOLAGUA) Julio C Lima, Instituto de Estudos da Macaronsia, Cascais, Portugal, and Mindelo, Cabo Verde

Closing remarks: Peter McCornick (DWFI)

Introduction of Drought Resilience +10 Miguel Ângelo Barreto da Moura, State Secretary for Agricultural Economy, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Cabo Verde

Presentation of workstreams 1 to 4:

1. Drought resilience and global mechanisms Robert Stefanski, WMO

2. Drought risk governance: The regional, national, and local challenges Daniel Tsegai and Miriam Medel, UNCCD

3. Drought Impact monitoring, assessment and forecasting Mark Svoboda, NDMC

4. The Need to turn drought policies into action Maher Salman, FAO

5. Ecosystems and Drought Rachael McDonnell, IWMI

6. Social Inclusion, climate justice and drought Anna Smetanova, GWP Central and Eastern Europe

7. Drought Risk Finance Maher Salman, FAO

8. Public-Private-Civil Society Partnerships for integrated drought risk management Valentin Aich, GWP

15:30 17:00 Technical Session 2.e: Sustainable Agricultural Water Use

15:30 17:00 Technical Session 2.e: Sustainable Agricultural Water Use

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT

Moderator: Juan Carlos Sanchez, IWMI

Sustainable agricultural water management: a WEF nexus perspective Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi, UKZN/IWMI

Rainwater Harvesting for Sustainable Agriculture for African Dry Regions Musandji Fuamba, Polytechnique Montral

Water Productivity: Innovations on Methods and Applications Christopher Neale, DWFI-UNL

Assessment of Innovative Water Solutions as a Response to Water Scarcity in Africa Soumaya Zaddem, Africa Youth Advisory Board on Disaster Risk Reduction of the African Union

15:30 17:00 Side event 3: Water productivity, the yield gap, and nutrition in a climate crisis: Field insights from Benin, Mozambique and Niger

15:30 17:00 Side event 3: Water productivity, the yield gap, and nutrition in a climate crisis: Field insights from Benin, Mozambique and Niger

Moderator: Jennie Baron, Professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

Opening, objectives and expected outcomes Jennie Baron

Introduction and opening remarks Simplice Nouala, African Union Commission

Highlights from the baseline survey of the Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture Water Productivity (NsAWP) project in Benin, Mozambique and Niger Paulo Dias, Project Manager, Land and Water Division, FAO

Armel C. G. Mensah, Senior Research Officer, National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB)

Tankari Moussa, National Coordinator of the Water and Nutrition Project, Niger

Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, Co-director, One World One Water Center

Beatrice Egulu, African Union Commission

Paulo Dias, Project Manager, Land and Water Division, FAO

Discussion with the participants focusing on field insights on water, food and nutrition in a climate crisis, including audience Q&A

Closing: Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO

Day 3 Thursday 9 February 2023 (CVT/UTC -1)

9:00 10:30 Side event 4: Towards the operationalization of transdisciplinary participatory WEFE Nexus approaches for achieving water and food security

9:00 10:30 Side event 4: Towards the operationalization of transdisciplinary participatory WEFE Nexus approaches for achieving water and food security

Opening remarks and Chair of the Side Event: Raffaella Zucaro, CER Italy

Transferable lessons from small-scale urban agriculture in Colorado Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, Denver Botanic Gardens & OWOW Center, USA

Water saving, drought management and ecosystem services, how to find a balance Francesco Cavazza CER, Italy

Tradeoffs, vulnerabilities, and inequities in the Food-Energy-Water Nexus Paolo DOdorico, UC Berkeley, USA

Water and Food Nexus in the context of human health Maria Cristina Rulli, Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy

Engaging stakeholders and transferring transdisciplinary science-driven WEFE Nexus scenarios to co-demonstrate the Nexus-Ness solution in four Euro-Mediterranean Nexus Ecosystem labs Fernando Nardi, WARREDOC, Italy

Closing remarks: Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd (Denver Botanic Gardens & OWOW Center, USA), Filiberto Altobelli (CREA, Italy) and Raffaella Zucaro (CER Italy)

10:30 11:00 Coffee break Poster exhibition

10:30 11:00 Coffee break Poster exhibition

11:00 12:30 Partners Meeting (closed door)

11:00 12:30 Partners Meeting (closed door)

Chairman: Felix Reinders, WASAG Chair

Achievements of last years and forthcoming events Ruhiza Jean Boroto, Senior Land and Water Officer, FAO

Discussion on the new Business Model for WASAG Ania Grobicki, Senior Water Advisor, FAO

Chairman: Ruhiza Jean Boroto, Senior Land and Water Officer, FAO

ADOPTION OF THE PRAIA CALL FOR ACTION Felix Reinders, WASAG Chair

Master of ceremony: Ruhiza Jean Boroto,Senior Land and Water Officer, FAO

Lifeng Li, Director Land and Water Division, FAO

H.E. Pio Wennubst, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Organizations in Rome

Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director of FAO (remotely)

Recognition Awards Master of Ceremony

Closing Remarks: H. E. Gilberto Silva,Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Cabo Verde

15:30 Official visit of the technological and agriculture fair

15:30 Official visit of the technological and agriculture fair

Day 4 Friday 10 February 2023 (CVT/UTC -1)

Afroponic PURAHVIDA Development São Francisco, Santiago Island

FORÇA DE VONTADE development São Francisco, Santiago Island

Development Water agricultural project, valuation and efficient use of natural resources in Ribeira Dos Picos, Municipality of Santa Cruz, Ilha De Santiago

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1st WASAG International Forum on Water Scarcity in Agriculture

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