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This report evaluates the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in India, specifically focusing on Component A (decentralized solar plants) and Component C-FLS (feeder-level solarization). While the scheme aims to add 35 GW of solar capacity by March 2026 to improve irrigation and farmer income, it has faced low uptake, achieving only 7% of targets for Component A and 34% for Component C-FLS as of December 31, 2025. The report identifies critical barriers including poor institutional coordination, grid instability, land acquisition challenges, and tariff mismatches, while providing actionable recommendations for the design of future solar irrigation programs.

A case study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) detailing a pilot project in Berbere, Ethiopia, where solar-powered irrigation pumps replaced costly and unreliable petrol pumps, significantly increasing farmer incomes and crop yields.

This research paper examines the intersection of electricity supply, groundwater irrigation, and CO2 emissions, focusing on the 'perfect storm' of climate, water, and energy challenges in Mexico.

This research paper examines how irrigation efficiency and water savings can lead to unintended consequences—categorized as paradoxes—that may impair river basin resilience and negatively impact ecological flows and non-irrigation water uses.

A World Resources Institute (WRI) analysis reveals that 25% of global crops are grown in areas with highly stressed or unreliable water supplies. The report highlights the vulnerability of staple crops and the rapid depletion of water resources in the few countries that dominate irrigated crop production, while also noting the increasing instability of rainfed agriculture due to climate change.

This field visit report details a mission to Hubei Province, China, from April 22-25, 2024, focused on promoting climate-smart water technologies for sustainable rice production in the Lancang-Mekong Region. The visit, involving partners such as the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute (CRSRI), and Thailand's Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), showcased advanced digital twin systems for water management, community-led irrigation governance, and specialized agricultural research facilities.

This guidebook provides recommendations for state policy-makers in India to sustainably deploy standalone solar pumps, specifically within the framework of the PM-KUSUM scheme, to maximize social benefits for low-income farmers and minimize groundwater over-withdrawal.

This research paper examines the tradeoffs between irrigation expansion, fish habitat protection, and climate change projections in Cambodia's Stung Chinit watershed, concluding that coordinated management can support both agricultural growth and ecosystem health.

This fact sheet by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) describes a study on enhancing the climate resilience of water and energy infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system and the Open Source Energy Modeling System (OSeMOSYS), SEI evaluated seven major river basins to estimate the economic risks posed by climate change to hydropower and irrigation, providing recommendations for robust investment decision-making.

This case study profiles Sunny Irrigation, a company providing affordable, portable solar-powered water pumps to smallholder farmers in Africa to address challenges related to inconsistent water sources and high upfront costs of irrigation systems.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) uses the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) tool to compare the financial and socioeconomic impacts of flood versus drip irrigation for the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) initiative, specifically within the Kilombero Valley. The analysis demonstrates that while drip irrigation has higher initial costs, it significantly improves water efficiency, unlocks additional productive land, and enhances long-term financial viability when environmental and social externalities are factored into the valuation.

This policy brief, prepared by the Institute for Economic Justice for the Jobs Summit Inclusive Growth working group, examines the potential for agriculture and land reform to generate employment in South Africa. It analyzes the current state of the agricultural sector, proposes policy interventions for commercial farming and land reform, and presents three employment scenarios based on different levels of state support and land redistribution.

This policy brief outlines a project funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) to assist the Government of Nepal in enhancing the climate resilience and effectiveness of small- and medium-scale irrigation systems.

This report establishes a framework to enhance the resilience of small- and medium-scale irrigation systems in Nepal against climate change. It identifies that while long-term climate threats include erratic rainfall and rising temperatures, short-term pressures are driven by non-climatic factors such as riverbed mining and rural migration. The study recommends a shift toward risk-based design, integrated groundwater and surface water management, and strengthened river basin governance to ensure water security.

This report outlines several Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) initiatives in Nepal focused on enhancing climate resilience across the agriculture, hydroelectricity, and irrigation sectors, as well as improving the government's capacity to access international climate finance.

A policy brief detailing a research initiative that used a water supply and demand modelling tool to assess risks to hydropower in the Zambezi River basin from climate change and irrigation expansion.

This policy brief, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in 2016, evaluates the performance of Lesotho's water management system and explores adaptation strategies to address water insecurity caused by climate change and urbanization. It specifically examines the trade-offs between the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which exports water to South Africa, and the need for domestic, industrial, and agricultural water security within Lesotho.

This policy brief describes a project by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) using a 'nexus approach' to analyze the interdependencies between water, energy, and food in Ethiopia's Upper Blue Nile region. By applying the WEAP-LEAP toolkit to the Lake Tana and Beles River basins, the project compared three development scenarios—Business-as-usual, National plans, and a Nexus scenario—to identify trade-offs between agricultural expansion, hydropower generation, and environmental sustainability.

This research paper presents a hydro-economic modeling framework that integrates farm-based economic models with semi-distributed hydrologic models to assess water policy interventions in Spain's Middle Guadiana basin. The study evaluates the impact of minimum environmental flows and reductions in legal irrigation water deliveries on agricultural profitability and ecological goals.

This research paper evaluates the impact of climate change and adaptive management on irrigation water supply within the Cache Creek watershed in Yolo County, California, using the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) system calibrated with 1971–2000 historical data.