Rethinking Integrated Water Resources Management: Towards Water and Food Security through Adaptive Management

The document outlines the transition of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) toward an anthropo-hydrogeological approach in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. It highlights the region's role as a net exporter of green virtual water and importer of blue virtual water (1996–2005) and emphasizes that achieving water security requires overcoming the legacy of resource-intensive economic growth through enhanced political will, civil-society engagement, and multi-level governance coordination.

• Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is evolving to focus on the anthropo-hydrogeological cycle, incorporating both conventional and non-conventional resources including water reuse, rainwater harvesting, conjunctive use, and virtual water trade.
• Between 1996 and 2005, the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region acted as a net exporter of green virtual water (141.5km3/yr), primarily from Brazil and Argentina, while acting as a net importer of blue virtual water (16.1km3/yr), particularly in Mexico.
• While the LAC region is pursuing water security through IWRM with an emphasis on environmental quality and social equity, progress is hindered by historical economic growth based on intensive natural resource use, resulting in biodiversity loss and increased pollution. Achieving a resilient future requires improved institutional communication, political will, civil-society engagement, and better coordination across governance levels from irrigation districts to the international political sphere.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2025). Rethinking Integrated Water Resources Management: Towards Water and Food Security through Adaptive Management. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/rethinking-integrated-water-resources-management-towards-water-and-food-security-through-adaptive-management/

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Rethinking Integrated Water Resources Management: Towards Water and Food Security through Adaptive Management. 2025. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/rethinking-integrated-water-resources-management-towards-water-and-food-security-through-adaptive-management/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Rethinking Integrated Water Resources Management: Towards Water and Food Security through Adaptive Management |date=16 January 2025 |url=https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/rethinking-integrated-water-resources-management-towards-water-and-food-security-through-adaptive-management/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2025rethinking, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Rethinking Integrated Water Resources Management: Towards Water and Food Security through Adaptive Management}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2025}, month = jan, url = {https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/rethinking-integrated-water-resources-management-towards-water-and-food-security-through-adaptive-management/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }