Impacts of climate change on agriculture related to water supply and IWRM strategies to help reduce them in the MENA and LAC regions

Impacts of climate change on agriculture related to water supply and IWRM strategies to help reduce them in the MENA and LAC regions 4th International Conference of Agriculture and Bio Engineering ICABE4, September 6, 2015

Eng. Agr. Carmen CaprilesPresentation: Gabriela Prada Cairo - Egypt

AbstractThe present research has the analyze the impacts that global warming will have on water supply in the next decades. The study focus mainly in comparing two regions; the South American region and the Middle East and North Africa region, with the aim to contrast the one of the regions with very fragile ecosystems, one with more water availably with the most arid region and how an average of 2C rise at global level can be devastating for life in many places, furthermore we have already start experience the signs of climate change and what we can expect the next years. Water is vital for life on Earth and the actual climate conditions help to maintain water in liquid and solid state, an un balance of forcing in the atmosphere would lead to a drastic reduction of water. In the field of agriculture we are aware that most of our crops will thrive by combining precipitation with irrigation, but as changes happen we need to identify more effective and efficient ways to use water at the same time it will be crucial to protect and restore natural sources of water and find better ways to store it and to use it in order to guarantee this pleasure resource for the next generations. Since the problem is a global problem we will analyze some of the international agreements already existing on water and why is important to raise the ambition and have all countries respect this treaties. The study concludes with recommendations of policies and measures that can be taken at local, national and international level in order to take care of the resource.

Impacts of climate change on agriculture related to water supply and IWRM strategies to help reduce them in the MENA and LAC regions Abstract1) Introduction2) Background3) Objective4) Theoretical frameworkWater sources in the world Water supply in Latin-American (Overview)Water supply in the MENA Region (Overview)Defining Integrated Water Resources ManagementTools and instruments for IWRMChallengesClimate risk management within the IWRMWhat can be done? 5) Conclusions6) Recommendations

1) IntroductionThe present study has the aim to explain how climate change is affecting water supply for different uses especially agricultural needs basically and what this means for food production, based on scientific data and a close analysis of the lattes events that had had a great impact on local populations and how this picture will change in the next decades if we do not take the needed measures to be ready, therefore we will also focus on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as a tool that can help us make a more effective and efficient use of water in agricultural activities.

2) BackgroundThe present study will focus on two regions; the region of Latin-American and the Caribbean LAC and the Middle East North of Africa MENA region under the characterization stated by the World Bank. We focus on this two regions because evidence suggest that their water supply in the next decades due to global warming, the first one, the LAC regions is the one of the regions with more fresh water availability in the other hand the MENA region has the most arid ecosystems, nevertheless the basic agricultural principles and methods apply to both and the recommendations for a more effective use of water for productive uses can apply to both regions, under the premise that taking measures early can help deal with tougher problems at a long term. This study is based on secondary sources of information nevertheless very reliable sources in order to have a bigger picture of the problem and give important inputs to take the needed measures, the study also aims to show that the problems are very alike but more research is needed to understand what can be done in specific cases at lower or more local scales.

3) ObjectiveThe main aim of the present study is to raise awareness of the future of water supply for agriculture on two regions of the planet, Latina-American and the Caribbean (LAC) region and the Middle East - North Africa (MENA) region and proposing IWRM as a viable mean to face climate change impacts on water at long term.

Water sources in the world Volume (km2)Share of world reservesShare of total water(%)Share of fresh water(%)Atmospheric water12,9000.0010.01Glaciers end permanent snow cover24,064,0001.7468.7Ground ice in zones of permafrost strata300,0000.0220.86Water in rivers2,1200.00020.006Water in lakes (fresh, 91,000 km2)176,4000.0130.26Water in marshes11,4700.00080.03Soil moisture16,5000.0010.05Active groundwater (in aquifers), including brackish and fossil10,530,0000.7630.1Inactive groundwater (in lithosphere)23,400,0001.7 World ocean1,338,000,00096.5

Around 71% of the planet's surface is covered by water, 96.5% is in the oceans (saltwater). Fresh water reaches only 2.5% of all water on Earth, out of this 2.5% of fresh water, 70% is in polar ice and is not available for human consumption, the remaining 30% is distributed in the form of surface water around 16%, while the other 14% is underground water.

Forecast of water demand by sector UNDP

Socio Economic Indicators

Water supply in LAC RegionAccording to the World Bank, the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region has the highest average water in the world, around 24,400 cubic meters per person available, nevertheless, availability and water security vary greatly within countries and between them. In some parts of the region the current water use is unsustainable. However, the Andean countries are home to nearly 10% of the fresh water on the planet (CAN, Becerra, M .; 2009).

Source: http://faculty.smu.edu/

Source: http://www.subdivx.com/X12X7X145328X0X0X1X-botella-magica.html

Water supply in MENA RegionAccording to the World Bank Group "The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the worlds driest region. Water availability is around 1,200 cubic meters person per day, compared with the average of about 7,000 cubic meters worldwide, nevertheless One half of MENAs population lives under conditions of water stress. Moreover, with the population expected to grow from around 300 million today to around 500 million in 2025, per capita availability is expected to halve by 2050". "Water loss, and its operational and financial consequences, is a major concern for urban water utilities in the Mediterranean region.

Source: http://www.futurewater.nl/uk/projects/mena/

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)"Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) can be defined as a process that promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner, without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems "Global Water Partnership; Technical Advisory Committee, 2000

Tools and instruments for IWRMAmong the technical tools used in the IWRM we are:Watershed management Multipurpose ProjectFlood control and drainageEnvironmental protection and ecosystemsWater quality Water pollution and contamination control

ChallengesIWRM has a number of challenges that must solve for the use of the resource benefits all users equitably and not on minority interests. In order to face the challenges we must act in the following ways:Ensuring water for people and for food productionProtecting vital ecosystems;Water variability in time and space;Managing the risks;Creating the participation and knowledge;Shaping the political will to act

Climate Risk Management within the IWRMRecent hydrological research strongly suggests that it is plausible that climatic changes caused by increases in greenhouse trace gas concentrations will:(1) alter the timing and magnitude of runoff and soil moisture, (2) change lake levels and groundwater availability, and (3) affect water quality. Such a scenario raises the possibility of dramatic environmental and socio-economic dislocations and has widespread implications for future water-resources planning and management.We must promote innovative practices of climate risk management leading to multiple social and environmental benefits for the vulnerable communities . Specifically, we seek proposals that report multiple social and environmental benefits and empower poor communities that are exposed to climate risk to:Test innovative, low-cost strategies to spread climate risk beyond the local level (eg, improvements in trade and value chain, microfinance). Preference for strategies that target vulnerable groups such as women, children and the elderly will;Forge innovative partnerships that strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities, including increased access to knowledge, information and services on climate risk management;Use innovative means to help educate communities on climate risks that leads to empowerment for action.

What can be done?Areas where it is expected the decline in rainfall will have to improve the storage, management and water productivity. Large irrigation systems must adapt to the changes that will occur in water supply regimes and support for water control measures on a small scale, conducted in the field is required.Five key policy responses are:Include adaptation and mitigation measures for water management for agriculture in national development plans.Promote technical and management measures to increase the flexibility of rainfed and irrigation, and reduce water losses in irrigated production systems.Improve knowledge on climate change and water and spread good practices among countries and regions.To promote national risk management policies through better monitoring networks and innovative insurance products.Mobilize adaptation funds to meet the challenges of water and food security caused by climate change.

Ten Principles to Help Protect WaterWater belongs to the earth and species.Water should be left where it is, whenever possible.Water must be conserved forever.The contaminated water must be recycled.Water is best protected in natural wetlands.Water is a common good that must be protected by all levels of government.adequate supply of clean water is a human right.The best advocates for water are local communities and citizens.The public must participate as an equal partner in government to protect water.Economic globalization policies are not aimed at that water is a sustainable resource.

Source: Maude Barlow, Blue Gold: the global water crisis and its conversion into a commodity on the world's water supply. Synthesis report (June 1999)

5) ConclusionsThe present study has given us an analysis of how the water supply for agriculture can be affected at a short term due to climate change and bad water management practices on the MENA and the LAC region, to avoid this it is necessary to take the needed measures that can help ensure the resource at long term..The global changes that have been raise in relation to water resources need to be addressed to take care of the resource, therefore is important to work on adaptation strategies promoting efficient practices resource use within different contexts social that take into account local realities as we have seen the different situations that both region, LAC and MENA face in relationship to the resource.While a number of documents created in recent years on climate change and integrated water resources management, the ability to incorporate policies whether national or regional, is still yet to see especially the need of political will needed for its implementation.Although action are being taken in relation to integrated water resources management and climate change, it is necessary to take into account within different local settings, especially in finding both solutions to the climate crisis and the shortage of water.It is also important to ensure the supply without compromising it, either by other uses like domestic or industrial uses as well as to ensure that other activities do not compromise the quality of the resource like polluting it and contaminating it furthermore it is important to have regulations for this not to happen.

6) RecommendationsSome recommendation that we can share from this study are:Work in relation to institutional strengthening at the local level to incorporate mechanisms that enable the implementation of IWRM strategies at local as well as national levels, in the MENA region as well as in LAC region.Work on strong policies framework toward climate change that takes into account the impacts on water supply for measures on adaptation, mitigation, capacity building, technology transfer and finance, taking into account the strong political will needed to address the issue.Ensure that water supply policies for cities take into account the need to guarantee the resource for productive activities especially agricultural ones.More research is needed to analyze the situation at local levels to identify and raise efficient strategies focus on the major water users to increase and ensure both as to participation in the processes decision-making in order to guarantee access to water resources.Analyze different contexts, to identify bottlenecks that limit participation, based on studies and interpretations of local realities that take into account certain practices and customs in relation to the structure of local decision-making, incorporated within macros panoramas up to meet regional expectations.Identifying the agricultural sector as main user, in relation to resource conservation to achieve sustainable use of the same ensuring long term and taking into account other uses, both domestic, productive and industrial.Have more case studies on recovery technologies and traditional knowledge to cope with the problems caused the abrupt introduction of certain technologies, as models of community management ensuring the resource in small communities on rural areas.Trainings and capacity building activities that lead rural populations to empower in relation to technologies needed to make a more efficient use of the resource.

AcknowledgementsDr.HeshamAbdel Moneim FaragEICA (Egyptian International Center for Agriculture) Program on Soil Water and ManagementGabriela Prada

Thank you!!!!

For more further information or questions please write to: carmen_capriles@yahoo.com