adapting soil-water management to climate...

Adapting Soil-Water Management to Climate Change

Insights from a Portfolio Review

Susanne ScheierlingWater Anchor, TWIWA

Learning Session: Climate-Smart AgricultureARD Days 2011, March 23, 2011

1. Background on ESW

2. Methodology of Review

3. Overview of Portfolio

4. Key Findings

5. Conclusions

Outline

Measures for Addressing Groundwater Overexploitation (1)

ESW “Improving Water Management in Rainfed Agriculture” carried out by Water Anchor

Key Themes:

•Highlight importance of topic with a focus on water-constrained production systems

•Explore approaches for improving water management

•Review the project experience of the World Bank

•Analyze challenges related to improving water management

•Propose options and recommendations

•Disseminate insights to improve design and implementation of appropriate interventions

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Strategies for Reform

International Experience Background on ESW

Experience with Improving Groundwater Management

(i) Significance of rainfed agriculture

Of 1.5 billion ha cropland worldwide, 82 % is rainfed.

Observations on KSA


International Experience Importance of Topic


(ii) Need for improving water management

Especially in dry subhumid regions, and temperate and tropical arid and semi-arid regions, water management is often a key determinant for agricultural production and productivity.

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“With competition for water growing, the scope for further irrigation expansion is limited (with few exceptions, such as Sub-Saharan Africa). Thus agriculture must meet future food demand through water productivity improvements in both irrigated and rainfed areas. “

World Development Report, 2008.


(iii) Relatively high share of rural population

Observations on KSA



One third (820 million) of the developing world’s rural population lives in less favored rainfed regions, characterized by frequent moisture stress (arid and semi-arid regions).

World Development Report, 2008.


(iv) Impact of climate change is likely to be severe

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“Rainfed agriculture, in particular, is highly vulnerable to reduced rainfall and shifts in rainfall timing and distribution.”

Strategic Framework for the WBG on Development and Climate Change, 2008.

Projected percentage change in yields of 11 major crops given current agricultural practices and crop varieties.

World Development Report, 2010

Inclusion of four main approaches:

(a) Promoting soil and water management techniques

(b) Accounting for watershed level impacts

(payments for environmental services, carbon sequestration)

(c) Ensuring a supportive agricultural policy environment,

including climate risk management

(d)Providing better hydroclimatic information


Observations on KSA


International Experience Background on ESW




4. Key Findings

5. Conclusions

Outline


- Use of ARD database of agriculture-related projects

- Selection of period FY99 - FY08

- Based on ARD project classification and review of potentially

relevant project, inclusion of 73 projects in portfolio review

- Basis of review are Project Appraisal Documents (PADs)

- Key issues of analysis:

(i) What is extent of commitments to agricultural water management in rainfed agriculture?

(ii) Which approaches and measures are included in project activities?

(iii) How is climate change considered in project design?

Observations on KSA


International Experience Methodology




4. Key Findings

5. Conclusions

Outline


Observations on KSA


International ExperienceCommitments by Regions and Countries

AFR53%

EAP6%

ECA1%

LCR7%

MNA9%

SAR24%

- About half of the commitments on agricultural water management are

focused on the Africa Region- Ethiopia and India are the main recipients

Ethiopia

China Yemen

India

Tanzania

Kenya

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International ExperienceCommitments over Period FY09-FY08

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ECA

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International ExperienceProject Development Objectives Associated with Commitments

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4. Key Findings

5. Conclusions

Outline


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International Experience(i) What is Extent of Commitments

to Agricultural Water Management in Rainfed Agriculture?

About 4.5% of total commitments to agriculture are for agricultural water management in rainfed agriculture.

(About a third are for the irrigation and drainage subsector.)

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1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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Agricultural Rainwater Management

Irrigation and Drainage Sub-sector

Other Commitments to Agriculture


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International Experience(i) What is Extent of Commitments

to Agricultural Water Management in Rainfed Agriculture?

In about half of the projects, the share of commitment dedicated to agricultural water management in rainfed agriculture amounts to less than 10%.

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10%

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Projects


Overview on Four Main Approaches:

(a) Promoting Soil and Water Management Techniques 70 projects

(b) Providing Better Hydroclimatic Information 6 projects

(c) Ensuring a Supportive Agricultural Policy Environment,

Including Climate Risk Management3 projects on climate risk management

(d) Accounting for Watershed Level Impacts, Including Payments for

Environmental Services, or Carbon Sequestration

No project

(45 projects recognize positive downstream impacts of rainwater management measures)

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International Experience (ii) Which Approaches and Measures Are Included in Project Activities?


(a) Promoting Soil and Water Management Techniques (70 projects)

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• Wide variety of techniques is promoted (sometimes without specifying them)

• Main purpose of techniques:

- Harvest water 47% of projects

- Hold water in situ 29% of projects

- Minimize soil loss 41% of projects- No information provided 30% of projects

Terraces Contour Bunds On-farm Ponds Check Dams


(a) Promoting Soil and Water Management Techniques (70 projects)

• Expected effects of techniques

based on project indicators frequently used in Results Framework:

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0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Increase in adoption of soil and water conservation techniques

Increase in farmer income

Increase in agricultural productivity

Reduction in erosion

Mitigation of drought

Increase in vegetation cover, or carbon sequestion

Increase in volume or regulation of water availability downstream

Share of Soil and Water Management Techniques Projects with Indicator


(b) Providing Better Hydroclimatic Information (6 projects)

• Drought early warning systems (combined with contingency plans)

3 projects

(weather stations and drought studies in Morocco, improvements in data collection systems in Ethiopia and Kenya)

• Early warning system, including data collection and modeling of climate impacts on agriculture, land cover, floods etc

3 projects

(India, Mozambique and Malawi)

• No project focuses specifically on

- generating seasonal (ENSO-based) projections, and/or

- making adequate information available to farmers

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(c) Ensuring a Supportive Agricultural Policy Environment,

including Climate Risk Management

• Climate Risk Management

3 projects

(crop insurance in Kazakhstan, index-based weather insurance in Ethiopia and Malawi, in the latter case with derivative contracts)

• Supportive Agricultural Policy Environment

- Packages of other agriculture-related interventions are included in almost all projects promoting soil and water conservation techniques

(e.g. access to markets and information, seed improvement)

- Most comprehensive packages tend to be in projects focused on watershed/natural resources management, poverty reduction, and rural development

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(d) Accounting for Watershed Level Impacts, Including Payments for Environmental Services, or for Carbon Sequestration

• Recognition of Watershed Level Impacts

- 62% of projects mention externalities

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0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Erosion control

Increase in groundwater recharge

Carbon sequestration

Decrease in flood damages

Flow regulation

Share of Projects Mentioning Externalities


(d) Accounting for Watershed Level Impacts, Including Payments for Environmental Services, or for Carbon Sequestration

• Payments for Environmental Services

No project

(but already included in several forestry-related projects, especially

in LAC Region)

• Payments for Carbon Sequestration

No project

(two projects in Rwanda and Kenya estimate carbon sequestration

benefits)

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International Experience(iii) How is Climate Change Considered in Project Design?

Climate Change Considerations in the Portfolio during FY09-FY08:

Six projects have incorporated climate change-related measures among components.

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1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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Climate change not mentioned

Climate change mentioned (no specific measure included)

Climate change measures in a forthcoming GEF project

Climate change measures included among components


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Commitments to Climate Change-Related Activities in the Portfolio during FY09-FY08:

Commitments to climate change-related activities amount to ($33 million), or 5% of total commitments to agricultural water management in rainfed agriculture.

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Activities not related to climate change

Activities related to climate change


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Climate Change-Related Measures Included in Components (6 projects):

(i) Support for Improving Understanding of Climate Change Effects- Mozambique: Market-Led Smallholder Development in the

Zambezi Valley Project (2006):Models to assess priority mitigation interventions

- India: National Agricultural Innovation Project (2006):Research on understanding the effects of climate change on agriculture

(ii) Support for Climate Change Mitigation Measures (for forest-relatedactivities)- Albania Natural Resources Development Project (2005):

Carbon finance resources for carbon sequestration in connectionwith regeneration of degraded lands


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Climate Change-Related Measures Included in Components (6 projects):

(iii) Support for Climate Change Adaptation Measures

- China: Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in Irrigated Agriculture Project (2006):Awareness-raising, institutional and capacity strengthening, and demonstration activities (adaptive crop varieties, rainwater harvesting, improved agricultural practices)

- Ethiopia Sustainable Land Management Project (2008): Use of drought resistant crop varieties; and disaster prevention, preparedness and management

- Malawi Agricultural Development Program Support Project (2008):Sustainable land and rainwater management, new tools in market-based risk management




4. Key Findings

5. Conclusions

Outline


• During FY09-FY08 agricultural water management issues in rainfed agriculture have received relatively limited support (less than 5% of agricultural commitments).

• Support in project design has mostly focused on soil and water conservation techniques, and less on other, more innovative approaches (such as provision of hydroclimatic information, climate risk management, and payments for positive externalities).

• Since the mid-2000s, projects have gradually paid greater attention to climate change considerations, and climate change-related measures are increasingly incorporated.

• The climate change-related measures mainly comprise combinations of measures also found in rainfed agriculture projects aimed at coping with climate (in particular, rainfall) variability.

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International Experience Conclusions

Thank you! Comments are welcome.

Contact:

[email protected]

www.worldbank.org/water