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World Water Day focuses a critical lens on global water challenges. This year the theme is around water cooperation.

With global water consumption estimated to increase by approximately 19% by 2050, far greater levels of cooperation over managing this resource will be required and, none more so, than in agriculture, the largest of all ‘water consumers’.

At an Africa-wide level the push to intensify agricultural production by reducing dependence on increasingly variable rainfall and strengthening soil and water conservation measures and irrigation means the focus is particularly acute.

Whilst Uganda may seem to receive heavy rainfall, high run-off and evaporation means that there is still a major challenge of trapping and storing water for use by farmers. With agricultural growth such a priority in Uganda and East Africa more widely ensuring better management and allocation of water for agriculture is at the heart of future development success.

The Global Water Initiative East Africa builds on five years of service delivery in water supply and sanitation and to establish a collaborate research process with a focus on enhancing ‘smart investments’ in water for agriculture and particularly that required by women farmers.

It is widely known that agricultural production is central to poverty reduction, supporting more income from growing markets for produce, triggering new industries supporting greater employment in services and manufacturing and providing a base for national food security, including through direct production and improving real net incomes.

Working with partners at a local level, the GWI EA seeks to use evidence to influence policy and investments in water for agriculture in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda, focusing on innovative technologies, stronger management systems and better understanding of what can be achieved.

Led by CARE International in Uganda, action research with local government and other partners including farmers themselves helps in identifying and exploring options to pursue.

GWI EA uses a Learning and Practice Alliance approach, through which civil society, the private sector, farmers and decision makers convene to agree in research priorities and problem-solving approaches.

Fostering evidence-based innovation, GWI EA seeks enhanced knowledge sharing at local, national and regional level, building wider networks of collaboration with others engaged in water and agricultural research and advocacy.

Launched in 2012, the second phase of GWI seeks to engage with key networks and institutions to help make this World Water Day’s theme of cooperation a centerpiece of future support to water for agriculture and specifically smallholder women farmers.

In years to come this will be central to Uganda’s and, more generally, East Africa’s future development and food security.

We therefore welcome engagement in our program to help in developing a convincing evidence base on which to establish greater investment in this critical sector. Click here

The GWI East Africa Team

For further information please contact

GWIuganda@co.care.org