Search Climate Insights Directory

The case study examines an irrigation project in Ruti, Zimbabwe, implemented by Oxfam and the government. It finds that while local adaptation efforts can significantly increase production and resilience for smallholder farmers, these gains are precarious without a broader supportive political and economic framework, especially as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of droughts and rainfall.

South Africa is over-exploiting its freshwater resources, with a projected widening gap between supply and demand by 2035. The authors find that the National Water Resource Strategy 2013 (NWRS2) lacks the aggressive measures needed to close this gap, which is driven by urban migration, industrial growth, and agricultural expansion. Proposed solutions include significant reductions in municipal non-revenue water, increased wastewater reuse, and expanded groundwater extraction.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) arguing against reducing indirect land use change (ILUC) emissions estimates for biofuels. CATF contends that the GTAP model used by ARB undercounts emissions by ignoring water scarcity constraints, failing to distinguish between commercial and non-commercial forests, and using flawed yield improvement assumptions. Specifically, CATF cites research showing that accounting for irrigation constraints can increase land-based emissions by 27.5%. The document also highlights that climate-driven drought in the US Midwest may decelerate corn yields and that the current framework ignores nitrous oxide emissions from increased fertilizer use required to sustain yield growth.

Margaret Bowman of the Walton Family Foundation outlines a vision for water resilience in the Colorado River basin to address a projected gap of 3.2 million acre feet between water supply and demand by 2060. The proposed strategy relies on three primary pillars: upgrading agricultural irrigation to save an estimated one million acre feet, implementing urban water efficiency programs to save another one million acre feet, and utilizing wastewater and stormwater recycling to gain 1.2 million acre feet. Bowman advocates for market-based water banking and targeted augmentation over large-scale water import schemes. She emphasizes the interdependence of urban and agricultural sectors and highlights the 2012 international agreement between the United States and Mexico as a model for cooperation, citing a recent pulse flow experiment in the Colorado River delta as an example of ecological and social co-benefits.

The document examines the food-energy-water nexus in Ethiopia's Lake Tana and Beles River basins, using the SEI nexus toolkit (WEAP-LEAP) to model three development scenarios. It finds that agricultural intensification and energy transitions are interdependent and potentially competitive, noting that Ethiopia has reached a "biomass ceiling" where demand for fuel, food, and fodder equals primary productivity. The analysis highlights trade-offs between hydropower production and maintaining critical water levels in Lake Tana, suggesting that a coordinated nexus approach is essential to meet the targets of the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) and the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy (CRGE) without compromising environmental sustainability.

The document outlines SEI's interdisciplinary approach to the water-energy-food nexus, emphasizing the need to integrate cross-sectoral interactions, ecosystem services, and multi-scale governance. It highlights the use of analytical tools like WEAP and LEAP to identify synergies and trade-offs in resource management. SEI advocates for participatory processes and the identification of policy 'entry points' to ensure scientific research translates into practical, sustainable solutions for resource scarcity.

The case study examines the disconnect between regional water management agendas in SADC and the national development priorities of member states. It argues that traditional donors have prioritised environmental conservation and river basin organisations over the large-scale infrastructure needed for hydropower and irrigation. This has led to 'economic water scarcity' where resources exist but lack the funding for development. The author notes a shift in this dynamic due to the emergence of China and Brazil as financiers for public infrastructure, which aligns more closely with national development goals.

The report identifies Honduras as highly vulnerable to climate hazards, particularly droughts and tropical cyclones, which threaten the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and national development goals. It highlights significant gaps in climate data, institutional coordination, and adaptive capacity, while proposing a suite of local actions—such as improved water management and agroforestry—and national policy mainstreaming to reduce vulnerability.

The report examines the vulnerability of Peru's agricultural sector to climate hazards, particularly in the Junín and Piura regions. It identifies El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) as a primary driver of droughts, floods, and frost, which significantly impact crop yields for maize, potatoes, and fruits. While Peru has established disaster risk management (SINAGERD) and climate change frameworks (MINAM), the report finds a lack of formal coordination between these two communities and gaps in localized climate data. Key recommendations include reviving ancestral agricultural practices, improving irrigation and water storage, diversifying livelihoods, and integrating disaster risk management with climate change adaptation into a single national programme.

The report examines the vulnerability of Peru's agricultural sector to climate variability and change, focusing on the Junín and Piura regions. It identifies key threats such as El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), droughts, floods, and frosts, and analyzes their impacts on priority crops like maize, potatoes, and mangoes. The document evaluates Peru's institutional capacity for risk management, noting a disconnect between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation frameworks. It recommends improving agricultural practices, water management, and data collection, while calling for a comprehensive national program to integrate climate risk management into development planning.

The report examines the relationship between food price inflation, food security, and trade policy, using Morocco as a case study. It analyzes the drivers of global food price spikes and evaluates Morocco's 'Green Morocco Plan' and its 'guided liberalization' strategy. A specific focus is placed on the lentil market, where high import tariffs on Canadian lentils are argued to encourage irregular trade and increase costs for consumers. The document suggests that reducing these tariffs, combined with targeted social safety nets and productivity investments, could improve food security and accessibility for the Moroccan population.

The report examines the causes and consequences of water scarcity in Bangladesh, focusing on the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basin. It analyzes bilateral water treaties between India and its neighbors (Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh) and evaluates the effectiveness of multilateral organizations like the Nile Basin Initiative and the Mekong River Commission to identify best practices for regional cooperation. Primary research indicates a long-term decline in the dry-season flow of the Padma River, potentially exacerbated by the Farakka Barrage, while rainfall patterns remain largely stable. Stakeholder mapping reveals significant communication gaps between policymakers and affected populations, and the report suggests that water scarcity can act as a trigger for localized conflict, particularly in the Padma basin.

The document lists seven priority projects under Rwanda's National Action Plan for Adaptation (NAPA), focusing on land conservation, early warning systems, irrigation, water storage, improving infrastructure in grouped settlements, food and health distribution, and strategies to substitute woody combustibles to prevent deforestation.

The report uses the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and a lumped groundwater model to evaluate the Jaldhaka watershed's current hydrology and the effects of shifting land use or increasing groundwater pumping. It finds that while both a deforestation scenario and an electrification scenario increase rice production, deforestation significantly raises flood risks. Electrification increases productivity but may lead to groundwater depletion of up to 8 meters in downstream areas under a 100% adoption scenario, though this may be partially offset by induced recharge from perennial rivers.

The document highlights that the agriculture sector is exceptionally vulnerable to climate extremes due to its dependence on natural resources. It argues that disaster risk is increasing not only due to climate change but also because more vulnerable people and assets are exposed to these events. The brief advocates for a shift from short-term coping mechanisms to long-term transformational approaches, such as 'climate-smart agriculture', and emphasizes the need for integrated national disaster risk management systems that combine local knowledge with scientific data.

The report evaluates three AWM scenarios in Tanzania's Mkindo watershed: expanding small-scale irrigation and livestock storage, intensifying agriculture via pumps and drainage channels, and large-scale cash crop expansion. It finds that while technological interventions can increase yields and incomes, they often introduce conflicts between farmers and livestock keepers, environmental pollution, and social displacement.

The report identifies three primary livelihood strategies in the Jaldhaka watershed: agriculture, off-farm employment, and independent tea production. Smallholders predominantly grow rainfed rice for consumption, with cash crops including jute, tobacco, and potatoes. Irrigation is heavily dependent on groundwater, often via rented diesel pumps, which creates financial constraints and vulnerability. Off-farm income, ranging from 10-70% of total income, serves as a critical buffer against crop failure. Independent tea growing is an emerging, lucrative strategy for those with high-lying land, supported by Self Help Groups (SHGs) for marketing. The most vulnerable group is identified as those solely dependent on agriculture, while those with off-farm income are the least vulnerable. Key challenges include a lack of electricity, unpredictable rainfall, and market price fluctuations for cash crops.

The report assesses three primary livelihood strategies in the Mkindo watershed: official irrigation agriculture, rainfed agriculture with supplementary irrigation, and livestock keeping. It identifies that while irrigated farmers are financially better off, rainfed farmers are more secure than livestock keepers. Key challenges across the watershed include poor road infrastructure, limited access to financial services, poor water quality leading to frequent health issues like malaria and typhoid, and escalating conflicts between farmers and livestock keepers over land and water access.

The assessment identifies four primary livelihood strategies in the Nariarlé watershed: rainfed agriculture, irrigated gardening, pastoralism, and fishing. Rainfed agriculture is the most dominant activity, covering 60-70% of the watershed, but suffers from low yields and high climatic risk. Irrigated gardening provides higher financial returns, with up to 90% of harvests sold, though it faces challenges from dam siltation and pesticide pollution. Pastoralism serves as a critical financial safety net, though grazing lands are being reduced by the expansion of Ouagadougou and agri-business. Fishing is a minor activity involving less than 3% of the population, threatened by invasive plants and non-compliant fishing nets.

The study evaluates water policies in a central arid region of Spain, finding that current quota-based systems are insufficient to recover overexploited aquifers or protect rural incomes. It suggests that while larger, diversified farms with modern irrigation adapt better to water stress, long-term sustainability requires additional measures like controlling illegal abstractions and establishing water banks.