World Water Week 2018

26-31 August 2018. Stockholm, Sweden. World Water Week 2018. The theme of this year’s World
Water Week was – Water, Ecosystems and Human Development. With climate change, increased water variability and stressed ecosystems, we need new approaches to development and planning so that we can build more resilient and resourceful societies.

#WWWeek plenary session @AminaJMohammed
Deputy Secretary General, UN
“ We have to do things differently. Investments need to shift
towards sustainable water and sanitation.
Funding our common ground
is a collective responsibility...
The youth will be our key way forward. “

In 2018, one of the Key Collaborating Partners is the African Development Bank (AfDB). The AfDB Strategy for 2013–2022 calls for substantial “investments in integrated water development and management to attain sustainable water, food and
energy security for green and inclusive growth”. This is in direct support of the 2025 Africa Water Vision for equitable and sustainable use and management of water resources for poverty alleviation, socioeconomic development, regional cooperation and the environment; as well as the SDGs. The 2018 theme resonates with the Bank’s agenda.

In an attempt to reach beyond the walls of World Water Week and engage a wider water conscious audience, SIWI is broadcasting a number of events live on Vimeo and Facebook throughout the Week.

Amina Jane Mohammed is the current Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and a former Minister of Environment of Nigeria (video starts @ 36:30)

Extracts of the programme:
Working with the flow? Multifunctional landscapes in a changing climate
The main objective of the seminar was to contribute to better understanding sustainable development for enhanced ecosystems through gendered transformative approaches. It aims to elaborate on development interventions that capitalised on indigenous/traditional knowledge enhancing water ecosystems. In multifunctional landscapes, trees, forests and farmlands are means to manage the water cycle for human wellbeing and development. This is fundamental to address water and food security, and resilience to climate change. This event focused on challenges and opportunities in restoring degraded landscapes in drylands in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Sustainable use of water in the landscape for productive and multifunctional landscapes - Anna Tengberg, SIWI
• Strengthening of water and landscape governance in the Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia - Dr Kebede Kanchula, Rift Valley Lakes Basin Authority, Ethiopia
• Tree water interactions at the farm level and implications at the landscape scale - Dr Catherine Wangari Muthuri, ICRAF, Kenya

Financing an African water revolution
Following up on the 2016 Falkenmark Symposium and an expert workshop in Kigali, this year’s event will focus on the African Water Revolution and scaling up green water solutions. Discussions with financial experts will identify the challenges to financing change and secure funding for green water initiatives across Africa.

• Answering the call for an African Water Revolution: Results from expert workshop and roadmap - Katherine Madden, SIWI
• Financing rainfed agriculture - Len Abrams, SIWI
• Panel discussion: Perspectives from different financiers: (a) Why hasn’t financing for rainfed
• agriculture scaled? (b) What is needed in order for it to scale?
• Building support for financing: Summing up - Prof Johan Rockström, SRC

Rural migration and water scarcity

Convenors: CIRAD, FAO, GWP, IFAD, IWMI and WRI

The threat to food security and vulnerability resulting from water scarcity in certain parts of the world, often results in migration. This session seeks to propose water related interventions that can contribute to reducing the tide of migration that takes place at several scales, from within countries to international levels.

• WASAG work on migration – priorities and actions - Ruhiza Boroto, WASAG Secretary
• Panel discussion: FAO representative, IOM representative, IWMI representative, UNHCR/NGO representative

Pathways to increasing farmer-led investments in sustainable agricultural water management 

Scaling-up the pace of African irrigation development, and helping farmers increase their productivity and profits, requires new thinking about the means to do this. Farmers need to have greater access to information, such as how to use water more productively, as well as input and output markets.

Convenors: AMCOW, Daugherty Water for Food Institute and IWMI

Hype or groundbreaking: Has securing water for food delivered?

The premise behind the Securing Water for Food Grand Challenge (SWFF) was that it could help get needed water solutions into the hands of farmers faster. Are we achieving this goal? Please join us for an interactive discussion on SWFF’s lessons learned from a program and innovator perspective, and for the announcement of a new phase of the program, Water and Energy for Food (WE4F).

Convenors: Department of Science and Technology, South Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands, Sida and USAID

Water use, food security and disease: Achieving healthy outcomes

Environmental, agricultural, social and medical researchers will share insights into interactions between water use for food production and health outcomes, focussing on malaria control. Come join an interdisciplinary discussion on how integrated management of water resources can both improve food security and reduce disease burden in low income settings.

Convenors: CGIAR-A4NH, CGIAR-WLE, Deltares and The Bridge Collaborative

Agriculture, water and disease overview and introduction to case study - Jeff Waage, LSHTM and Javier Mateo-Sagasta, IWMI

Part 1. Setting the scene - trends in water use, crop development and disease management

• Malaria and related vector-borne diseases – Jo Lines, LSHTM
• Rice production in low and middle income countries – Kazuki Saito, Africa Rice
• Agricultural water management in Africa – Cees van de Guchte, Deltares, Eline Boelee, Deltares and Matthew McCartney, IWMI

Part 2. Interactions between water, crops and malaria: What is the evidence?

• Links between large dams and malaria in Africa – Matthew McCartney, IWMI, Jonathan Lautze, IWMI, Solomon Kibret, University of California at Irvine and Eline Boelee, Deltares
• Rice production, malaria and the “paddy paradox” – Kallista Chan LSHTM and Jo Lines, LSHTM

Part 3. Addressing the problem: interventions and their results so far

• Modifying rice production to reduce mosquito production and malaria risk in West Africa Rousseau Djouaka, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
• Intermittent rice irrigation introduction in Peru – Carmen Cruz Gamboa, Ministry of Health, Peru

Part 4. Connecting the dots: Participatory mapping of multi-sector approaches to water, agriculture and disease

• Facilitator: Kari Vigerstol, TNC and Claudia Ringler, IFPRI and Bridge Collaborative

AFRICA FOCUS | Water security, climate change: Peace and cooperation challenge

Water security and climate change are key factors that affect the livelihoods of many Africans in many ways. The challenge of climate change on hydrological systems can drastically affect the economic and social ecosystem. The session looked at the ample opportunities and mechanisms that exist to ameliorate the situation.

Convenors: AMCOW and AUC

• Chair: Hon Mansour Amadou Faye, Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, Senegal
• Moderator: Dr Tahani Sileet, Nile Water Sector, Egypt and TAC Vice-Chair Northern Africa
• Water Infrastructure, a condition for sustainable development in Africa - Symerre Grey-Johnson, PIDA
• Basin-wide planning and joint investment in water development as a means for regional peace and cooperation - Hamed Diane Semega, High Commissioner OMVS

Food hygiene for child health: An overlooked opportunity

WASH has a key role to play in reducing faecal contamination of food and therefore reducing disease transmission through faecal-oral pathways. This event will give an overview of current evidence on the impact of food hygiene interventions on health outcomes. It will also share good practice and implementation experience.

Convenors: Great Lakes University of Kisumu Kenya, Government of Gambia, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, LSHTM, University of Birmingham, University of Malawi - The Polytechnic and WHO

AFRICA FOCUS | Effects of universal access to safely managed sanitation

Access to safe sanitation for all in Africa by 2030 will require the adoption of efficient and most affordable service delivery approaches and technologies. A deliberate choice for a non-sewered sanitation system can be more cost effective. Doing this will create job opportunities for all along the service delivery chain.

• Chair: Hon Dr Mohamed Abdel Atty, AMCOW, Minister for Water and Irrigation, Egypt
• Moderator: Nompumelelo Ntshalintshali, Ministry of Water, Kingdom of Enswatini
• How Non-Sewer Sanitation could be the choice for universal sanitation by 2030 - Dr Doulaye Kone, WASH, Gates Foundation
• Role of PPP in accelerating the achievement of SDG targets on sanitation: Case of Senegal - Lansana Gagny Sakho, ONAS

AFRICA FOCUS | High level ministerial panel: From policy to action

• Gladys Gichuri Wambui, Director, AfDB
• H.E Correa Leonel Josefa Sacko, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture
• Overview of AMCOW Strategy 2018–2030 Dr Canisius Kanangire, AMCOW Executive Secretary
• pre-launch of AMCOW Strategy 2018–2030 H.E Eng Isack Kamwelwe, AMCOW President and Minister of Water and Irrigation, Tanzania

Panel Discussion

• H.E Isack Kamwelwe, AMCOW President / Minister for Water and Irrigation, Tanzania
• H.E Eng Seleshi Bekele, Minister for Water and Energy, Ethiopia
• H.E Eng Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water, Nigeria
• H.E Gugile Nkwinti, Minister of Water and Sanitation, South Africa
• H.E Sharafat Elyedri Afailal, Secretaire d’Etat chargee de l’Eau, Royaume du Maroc
• H.E Serge Blaise Zoniaba, Minister of Water, Republic of Congo
• H.E Lloyd Kaziya Mulenga, Minister of Water, Zambia
• H.E Kimetso Mathaba, Minister of Water Affairs, Lesotho
• H.E Joseph Kofi Adda, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Ghana
• H.E Ahmadou Mansour Faye, Minister for Hydraulic and Sanitation, Senegal
• H.E Dr Mohamed Abdel Atty, AMCOW Vice President, Northern Africa/Minister for Water and Irrigation Egypt
• H.E Guy-Bertrand Mapangou, Minister of Water Gabon
• H.E Dr Vincent Biruta, Minister of Natural Resources, Rwanda

Innovative financing mechanisms for water scarcity in agriculture
The threat posed by water scarcity in agriculture calls for innovative and sustainable funding mechanisms. This event will share emerging financing options that have been identified and the opportunities that they offer to fund interventions aimed at alleviating water scarcity in agriculture in the face of climate change.
Convenors: CIRAD, Climate-KIC, EIB, FAO, IFAD, OECD, World Bank and WBCSD

• Facilitator: Michael Schulte, World Bank
• WASAG perspective - Ruhiza Boroto, FAO
• Proposed framework for innovative financing mechanisms - Daniel Zimmer, Climate-KIC
• working group on water and migration - Julienne Roux, GWP
• Responses in the context of the four basic steps (grants, pilot, blended finance, international support) - IFAD, OECD, World Bank
• working group on drought preparedness - Daniel Tsegai, UNCCD
• Responses in the context of the four basic steps (grants, pilot, blended finance, international support) IFAD, OECD, World Bank
• Proposed support strategy Mawira Chitima, IFAD and Daniel Zimmer, Climate-KIC

Water for well-being: From framework to action
Water is a fundamental input into the wellbeing of populations, and a key determinant of child nutrition. This session frames the linkages between water and nutrition through the food security pathway, highlighting case studies across water for agriculture, irrigation, water resources management, and water sector reforms that have incorporated nutritional considerations to enhance human development impact.

• Disruptive technology in agriculture and impacts on nutrition - Linda Kwamboka, m-farm
• Food security, stunting, and sustainable irrigated agriculture in Rwanda - Aimee Marie Ange Mpambara, World Bank

The AfricaSan movement: Setting the sanitation agenda in Africa

Over the past decade, AfricaSan drove the sanitation agenda in Africa. With the new global agenda and adoption of the N’gor commitments, the AfricaSan International Task Force, led by AMCOW representing all African countries, is leading the preparation for AfricaSan5 and achieving universal sanitation and hygiene in Africa.

Water Funds Toolbox: water security solutions for Africa and globally

An interactive demonstration of new, innovative tools and experiences for addressing water security issues through nature-based solutions and sustainable watershed management. Participants learned how these tools can help them achieve their water security and development goals through hearing the applied experience of key actors across Africa.

Related:
Early this year, the South African government announced that Day Zero was looming – a moment, after three years of unprecedented drought, when dam levels would be so low that taps would be turned off and people would have to fetch water at communal collection points. After taking remedial measures, Capetonians managed to push back the date of Day Zero until next year.