Water Governance and Political Economy (WGPE)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/140561

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 65

Just water transitions in Egypt: civil society and equitable irrigation management
(Report, 2025-05) Eldabbagh, Fayrouz; Abdelwahab, Noura
This policy paper examines pathways for achieving water justice in Egypt through equitable and efficient agricultural water management, focusing on the roles of civil society organizations (CSOs) and Water Users Associations (WUAs). Grounded in environmental justice literature and stakeholder consultations, the study defines water justice through two key dimensions: distributive justice, which entails fair access to water quantity, quality, and affordability while preventing overexploitation; and procedural justice, which emphasizes participatory policymaking channels for WUAs and CSOs. The analysis identifies six critical challenges: unequal water access (quantity and quality) in vulnerable regions, poor community water management, aging irrigation infrastructure and limited adoption of innovations, fragmented governance, inadequate law enforcement, and limited financing for irrigation improvements. To address these challenges, the paper proposes a phased approach. In the short term (over two years), it recommends strengthening WUAs’ institutional capacity through training in managing irrigation operations and management, water use monitoring, conflict resolution, administration, and finance. Medium-term solutions pilot blended finance that combine commercial loans with output-based aid, alongside public-private partnerships to fund climate-smart irrigation technologies. These interventions aim to enhance WUAs’ operational capabilities (“power within”) and financial access (“power to”) while modernizing irrigation systems. For long-term systemic change, the paper advocates revitalizing joint water governance committees at the governorate level to coordinate water allocation based on cropping patterns, climate needs, and market demands. Additionally, it proposes forming a civic advisory mechanism under Egypt’s Inter-ministerial Water Council, incorporating CSOs and WUA representatives to align water governance with the Sustainable Development Goals. This multi-level strategy seeks to transform irrigation management by balancing equitable distribution (distributive justice) with inclusive decision-making (procedural justice), ultimately supporting agricultural livelihoods while advancing climate resilience and food security objectives.
Needs assessment to enhance public-private partnerships in smallholder irrigation development and management in Ethiopia
(Report, 2025-07-04) Seyoum, A.; Adamseged, Muluken Elias; Haileslassie, Amare; Ires, Idil; Jacobs-Mata, Inga
Ethiopia has significant untapped irrigation potential, but progress in the sector remains constrained by sole reliance on public investment, governance challenges, and limited private sector participation. Recognizing these issues, the Government of Ethiopia has prioritized Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a strategy to accelerate irrigation development, enhance agricultural productivity, and improve rural livelihoods. In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) conducted a comprehensive needs assessment to identify stakeholder priorities and guide the development of viable PPP business models for smallholder irrigation. This study, part of the CGIAR Diversification in East and Southern Africa (UU) initiative and Scaling for Impact Science Program, is designed to inform the national guidelines for PPP implementation in Ethiopia’s smallholder irrigation sector. The report presents insights from extensive stakeholder mapping, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions across multiple regions in Ethiopia. Findings reveal strong interest among farmers and private sector actors to engage in irrigation PPPs, provided clear policies, incentives, and institutional support systems are in place. However, challenges remain, including fragmented governance, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to credit, weak market integration, and capacity gaps among farmers and Irrigation Water User Associations (IWUAs). Key recommendations emphasize the need for clear legal frameworks, strengthened institutional capacity, incentives to attract private investment, value chain integration, and targeted capacity building for farmers and IWUAs. The study also highlights the importance of inclusive approaches that engage women and youth, and the need for effective monitoring and regulation to ensure PPPs contribute to social equity and environmental sustainability. By addressing these systemic challenges, PPPs can become a transformative tool for Ethiopia’s smallholder irrigation development, supporting food security, climate resilience, and economic growth. This report serves as a critical reference for policymakers, practitioners, and development partners working to foster sustainable and inclusive irrigation systems in Ethiopia and beyond.
Understanding climate-induced migration in West Africa through the social transformation lens
(Journal Article, 2023-12) Osei-Amponsah, Charity; Quarmine, William; Okem, Andrew
The climate crisis has migration implications, and we need to act inclusively and urgently. Climate change impacts people’s decisions to migrate largely through economic, political, technological, demographic, and sociocultural factors, and their dynamic interlinkages. These complex issues often influence climate risks and vulnerabilities and complicate effective investment and policy actions on migration. However, there is inadequate documentation on how climate change is linked to migration and social transformation. Based on a traditional literature review and inputs from a consultation dialogue, this paper analyzes climate-induced migration in West Africa using a social transformation lens. The paper conceptualizes the climate-induced migrant as an agent of adaptation and describes the complexities of climate vulnerabilities, and its intersection with social transformation in migration decisions. A social transformation conceptual framework is proposed to identify the complexities of climate-induced migration and ensure inclusive strategies are planned, implemented, and sustained. The paper discusses the need for transdisciplinary research approaches to capture various intersections of transforming socioeconomic and environmental vulnerabilities across different countries and migratory landscapes. The paper also highlights the critical concern in the region regarding the “trapped population.” It suggests that a social transformation lens is required to unravel the dynamics around vulnerable people unable to migrate because they do not have the resources to migrate or are constrained by cultural issues.
Does social transformation drive out-migration? Perceptions and changes
(Journal Article, 2025-04) Setrana, M. B.; Teye, J. K.; Nikoi, E. G. A.; Asiedu, E.; Osei-Amponsah, Charity; Yakass, E.
Migration and social transformation are major drivers of socio-economic development. Yet, the linkages between social transformation and migration in Ghana are poorly understood. This article seeks to shed light on how social transformation affects or is affected by migration, using mixed methods with transformationalist and social change theoretical lenses. At the same time, there have been retrogressive transformations in the economic conditions, technology and demography have improved and increased, respectively, and political and cultural factors have remained relatively the same over the past decade. Although there is a perceived bi-directional relationship between social transformation and migration, social transformation exerts greater influence on migration than migration has on social transformation except for higher educational attainment and improved household income. Therefore, the relationship between social transformation and migration is not balanced in our study area as the former influences more than the latter.
Creating an enabling environment for agricultural innovation in emerging markets
(Report, 2025-04-10) Ires, Idil
Market is the structure for the development and delivery of innovations that are able to address environmental, societal, and economic challenges. The lack of enabling conditions for market development has resulted in low investment levels and economic stagnation, impacting livelihoods in Africa. Although there have been efforts to implement market-driven reforms, challenges such as inadequate policies, weak legal frameworks, transparency issues and bureaucratic inefficiencies pose significant risks for public and private investments and for their potential to reach the target beneficiaries. This situation also discourages development partners and businesses from investing in the region.Technical assistance is crucial to improve the investment climate. This paper presents a framework to help governments create a more conducive environment for agricultural market development and the private sector to navigate through the existing challenges. Traditional technical assistance practices have faced criticism for adopting a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks local contexts. Recently, however, there has been a shift towards more context-based and adaptive assistance, which informs this framework. This framework emphasizes key elements that contribute to an enabling environment, including institutions, such as policies, regulations, and legal frameworks, as well as clear market and regulatory information that help reduce transaction costs. The framework is theoretically based on new institutional economics and political economy approaches. It focuses on assistance in three areas with three categories of delivery partners: policy support to governments, institutional capacity strengthening (especially of National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems) and (agri)business acceleration support to small- and medium-scale enterprises. Through such assistance, this framework seeks to help create an enabling environment for the delivery of innovations that offer solutions to emerging climate, societal and economic crises. These solutions, especially those developed and scaled by the private sector, are targeted toward recipients such as farmers (including women and the youth), marginalized groups, displaced communities, refugees and migrants. The framework utilizes value chain and market development as the primary delivery structures. This framework has guided several recent enabling environment assistance practices under CGIAR’s International Water Management Institute (IWMI). This paper explores these practices and positions CGIAR as a strong technical assistance partner. While this framework offers a systematic approach to analyzing the enabling environment, the technical assistance driven by this framework promotes collaboration and co-creation. It actively engages governments, national research and extension offices, farmers and other stakeholders in influencing policies and business transaction advisories that directly benefit them. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen their capacities to diagnose and overcome enabling environment challenges as they arise. By helping to create an enabling environment for the private sector—especially small- and medium-scale enterprises that innovate and scale—and derisking the investment climate, this framework seeks to strengthen agrifood market systems to foster food security and alleviate poverty.
Gendered transformations: rethinking climate resilience building in northwest Ghana
(Journal Article, 2025-03) Osei-Amponsah, Charity; Okem, Andrew; Wahabu, E.; Quarmine, William; Hyde, Sandra N. T.
The transformation of gender roles and responsibilities have implications for how men and women and other social groups are impacted by and cope differently with the changing climate. However, such dynamics are often not considered in formulating and implementing climate resilience interventions. Through a case study in rural communities of the northwestern part of Ghana, Africa, using a mixed-methods approach, this paper investigates the gendered nature of transformations and the implications for climate resilience building. The study found that compared to ten years ago, women have increase access to farmland, participate more in agricultural development decision-making, better access to credit, and more diverse livelihood pathways. Nevertheless, women’s ability to adapt to climate change impacts like droughts is worsening because of cultural norms that restrict women’s control over land resources and their limited adaptive capacities. To achieve positive gendered transformation outcomes while minimising negative social transformation trade-offs, policy makers must rethink the strategies for building climate resilience. There is the need to focus on strategies that support the formulation and implementation of well-funded and targeted interventions with a perspective on gender realities and dynamics that provide women with real resources and agency, enabling institutional support and transformative opportunities.
Empowering change: trained development practitioners’ attitudes toward integrating social transformation analysis in planning
(Brief, 2025-03-12) Quarmine, William; Nornoo, J. K. A.; Osei-Amponsah, Charity; Okem, Andrew
Ukama Ustawi’s Learning Alliance: scoping study - final report
(Report, 2024-12-30) Kumwenda, H.; Kakuwa, B.; Odeke, M.; Podisi, B.; Nohayi, Ngowenani
This scoping study for Ukama Ustawi’s Learning Alliance (UULA) was inspired by the need for better collaboration and experience sharing among research providers dedicated to creating agricultural knowledge and its dissemination in the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region. It provides recommendations on the potential institutional arrangements for setting up a Learning Alliance (LA) to achieve the desired end and to also guide Knowledge Management and Learning (KML) around diversified maize farming systems. The recommendations were developed following a desk review of relevant literature and analysis of data collected from key implementing partners at the national and regional levels. UULA is led by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in partnership with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), AKADEMIYA 2063, and several members of the Global research partnership for a food-secure future (CGIAR).The network promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing, focusing on climate-smart, diversified maize farming practices. It engages national research systems and regional bodies to drive innovation and effective knowledge exchange in agriculture. From the literature review, the study has observed that a Learning Alliance is a socialization mechanism for generating transdisciplinary knowledge in the context of application and uses a double loop learning process. It derives its strength from dealing with practical problems that require partnership based on the understanding that there is no single individual or institution that can solve them on their own. Within the context of a Learning Alliance, a contextual problem is resolved through several repetitive cycles. The double loop learning process at the end of each cycle is what gives rise to the name “Learning Alliance”.
State level stakeholder consultation on participatory groundwater governance in Madhya Pradesh, India: learnings from Atal Bhujal Yojana and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
(Conference Proceedings, 2024-12-30) Patidar, P.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Taneja, Garima; Bhattacharjee, Suchiradipta; Mitra, Archisman; Bhaduri, Tanmoy
State level stakeholder consultation on participatory groundwater governance in Rajasthan, India: learnings from Atal Bhujal Yojana and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
(Conference Proceedings, 2024-12-30) Banerjee, H.; Papnoi, P.; Kaur, J.; Taneja, Garima; Bhattacharjee, Suchiradipta; Mitra, Archisman
Diet diversity among women in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR
(Report, 2024-12-30) Rizaldo, Q. V.; Inphonephong, Souphalack; Phounvisouk, L.; Dubois, Mark
The 2023 CGIAR Ukama Ustawi Research Initiative Pause and Reflect event at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(Report, 2024-12-30) Hanke-Louw, Nora
Ukama Ustawi ShareFair event
(Report, 2024-12-30) Ageyo, C.; Hanke-Louw, Nora
Enhancing knowledge management and learning for agricultural resilience in East and Southern Africa
(Brief, 2024-11-30) Kumwenda, Hannock; Nohayi, Ngowenani; Kasoma-Pele, Winnie; Kakuwa, B.; Odeke, M.
The PILA framework & policy flux: understanding change in complex institutional environments
(Brief, 2024-11-30) Nicol, Alan; Schutter, M.; Bhattacharjee, Suchiradipta; Eldabbagh, Fayrouz; Sanchez Ramirez, Juan Carlos
Building coherence into food, land and water systems: tackling institutional complexity and policy choices in Egypt
(Brief, 2024-12-30) Eldabbagh, Fayrouz; Nicol, Alan; Sanchez Ramirez, Juan Carlos; Brouziyne, Youssef
Participatory scenario development on the future of maize - mixed systems in East and Southern Africa
(Report, 2024-12-30) Nkanyani, S.; Mwamakamba, S.; Zimba, N.
Recognizing the escalating pressures on the maize-mixed farming system in East and Southern Africa (ESA), the CGIAR Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa convened a Regional Participatory Scenario Development Workshop through the collaborative efforts of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and its partners the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). This strategic initiative brought together key stakeholders to cocreate plausible future scenarios, exploring pathways towards a more diversified and resilient agricultural landscape. The workshop facilitated a multi-stakeholder dialogue, acknowledging the multifaceted challenges facing the region. Participants identified a range of predictable trends, including socio-economic shifts, evolving environmental governance, technological advancements, and changing dietary patterns. Critically, the discussions moved beyond simply recognizing these trends to identifying key uncertainties that could profoundly reshape the future of the maize-mixed system. Through a dynamic group process, stakeholders developed detailed narratives for each scenario, weaving together potential future contexts shaped by climate change, technological innovation, policy decisions, economic forces, and societal values as well as other factors that shape the food systems as outlined in (Matchaya et al., 2023). IFPRI enriched these narratives by modeling the potential consequences of various choices and decisions within each scenario, providing valuable quantitative insights. The outputs of this scenario development process will form part of the comprehensive State of Region Report and a targeted Policy Brief. These publications will serve as crucial tools for raising awareness and stimulating dialogue among policymakers, decision-makers, and stakeholders across the ESA region. By providing a robust, evidence-based foundation for understanding potential future pathways, this initiative empowers stakeholders to develop proactive and adaptive strategies, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and food-secure future for the region.
CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator: agri-innovation report for East and Southern Africa - cohort 2
(Report, 2024-12-30) Nkosi, Mahlatse; Dlamini, Jerry; Birachi, E.; Dirwai, Tinashe; Giombini, V.; Ires, Idil; Mhlanga, B.; Munthali, J.; Njiru, A.; Nortje, Karen; Nowak, Andreea C.; Peterson, N.; Sewe, L.; Kamanda, Josey
The CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator Agri-Innovation Report for East and Southern Africa: Cohort 2 presents the outcomes of an initiative aimed at transforming agrifood systems across the region. This report documents the journey of ten agribusinesses selected for support under the Ukama Ustawi initiative, which promotes sustainable, climate-smart, and investment-ready agricultural innovations. Agriculture in East and Southern Africa (ESA) is at a crossroads, requiring scalable innovations to enhance productivity, resilience, and sustainability. Recognizing this need, the CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator provides targeted technical assistance to agribusinesses, focusing on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), Impact Measurement and Management (IMM), and Investment Readiness (IR). The initiative supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in agriculture to adopt sustainable practices, access financing, and expand their operations, ensuring long-term resilience and food security.
Advocating for effective policy coherence: reflections for CGIAR and beyond
(Brief, 2024-12-30) Ramirez, Juan Carlos Sanchez; Nicol, Alan; Eldabbagh, Fayrouz
Farmer learning exchange visit on agroecological farming practices in Xiengkhouang, Lao PDR
(Report, 2024-12-30) Inphonephong, Souphalack; Chounlamountry, T.; Xaydala, Viengxay; Douangsavanh, Somphasith
The report documents a farmer learning exchange visit on agroecological farming practices in Xiengkhouang, Lao’s People Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), from 20–22 November 2024. It was organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), under the CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology and the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies. The visit was arranged in cooperation with the agroecology and safe food system transitions project’s implementing and commissioning team from the Department of Planning and Cooperation, the Department of Agricultural Land Management, the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office in Xiengkhouang, and CIRAD, the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development.

Browse

Recent Submissions