CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) - Elizabeth Weight and Andrew Noble

The CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE)Led by IWMI Elizabeth Weight and Andrew Noble

Outline of presentation• Introduction• WLE IDOs• Example of the

Niger/Volta Focal Region• M&E for impact• Highlights to date• WLE reflections on CGIAR

Strategy Results Framework, SLOs, IDOs, impact pathways.

The challenges facing our global food production systems

We have exceeded 3 of 9 planetary boundaries → danger of risks and uncertainties

It is no exaggeration to say that natural resources depletion and degradation threaten the very future of civilization beyond their impacts on global food security and the global economy.- CGIAR Strategy and Results Framework, 2001

The opportunity: agriculture is the dominant contributing factor and therefore a solution

The status quo: ecosystems and natural capital are wholly owned subsidiaries of our agricultural

production systems

The paradigm shift: agricultural production systems are a wholly

owned subsidiary of the ecosystems and natural capital they are dependent

upon

Water Land and Ecosystem Vision:A world in which agriculture thrives within vibrant ecosystems, where communities have higher incomes, improved food security and the ability to continuously improve their lives

WLE contributes to CGIAR System Level Outcomes through Intermediate Development

Outcomes

CGIAR System Level Outcomes

1. Reduce rural poverty2. Increase food

security3. Improve nutrition

and human health4. Sustainable

management of natural resources

WLE IDOIncreased and more equitable income from agricultural and

natural resources management and ecosystem services in rural

and peri-urban areas

WLE IDOImproved land, water and energy

productivity in rainfed and irrigated agro-ecosystems

WLE IDOWomen and marginalized

groups have decision making power over and increased

benefits derived from agriculture and natural

resources.

WLE IDOIncreased ability of low income

communities to adapt to environmental and economic

variability, demographic shifts, shocks and long term changes

WLE IDOWomen and marginalized

groups have decision making power over and increased

benefits derived from agriculture and natural

resources.

WLE IDOIncreased resilience of

communities through enhanced ecosystem services in

agricultural landscapes.

Through targeted impact pathways in focal regions and at the global level

Outcome: Sustainable increases in land and water productivity to

meet future food demands

Outcome: Land rehabilitated and further degradation avoided in areas

vulnerable to human pressure

Prioritized regional

development challenges and opportunities

Scientific knowledge, data, forecasting and global visioning

IWMI/CPWF/partners long-term stakeholder engagement

Consultations, i.e. with development partners in May 2013

Example: Priority setting for WLE’s integrated research-for-development in Volta-Niger

Example: WLE impact pathway for the Volta-Niger

Land rehabilitated and further degradation avoided in areas vulnerable to human pressure

Sustainable increases in land and water productivity to


BasinsResource Recovery and Reuse

IrrigationRainfed

WLE Research Portfolios

Gender Poverty and Institutions

Information for Decision

Making

Ecosystem Services

IdentifiedDevelopment

Outcomes

Applied research to facilitate required changes from extensive to intensive farming without further affecting remaining natural ecosystems and the services they deliver

Agricultural strategies and policies address changing demographic

patterns and climate and facilitate transition from extensive to intensive

farming systems at multiple scales

Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs

Integrated policy recommendations with indicators for monitoring change

RoI and decision support for interventions across rainfed-irrigation landscapes

Integrated Research Portfolio

Photo: Tom Van Cakenberghe/IWMI

WLE Strategic Research Portfolio: Information Systems

Provides an umbrella for WLE research by:• Systematically supporting

prioritization of intervention decisions that are most likely to reduce risks and improve lives and productivity

• Designing and implementing measurement and information systems to assess and monitor agro-ecosystem health and build stakeholder capacity in their deployment






IrrigationRainfed




Making

Ecosystem Services


Outcomes





Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs




Provides solutions to:• Reduce land

degradation in rainfed landscapes

• Sustain productive landscapes by increasing biodiversity

• Reduce risk and tackle productivity / environment challenges in farming landscapes

Photo :A

kica Bahri/IW

MI

WLE Strategic Research Portfolio: Rainfed Farming Systems






IrrigationRainfed




Making

Ecosystem Services


Outcomes





Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs




Provides solutions to bring nutrients back into production systems through:• Business opportunities for

resource recovery and reuse• Safe wastewater and excreta reuse• Efficient water and land

management in peri-urban areas• Addressing safety concerns where

polluted water is used for irrigation

Photo: A

ndrea Silverm

an/IWM

I

WLE Strategic Research Portfolio: Resource Recovery and Reuse






IrrigationRainfed




Making

Ecosystem Services


Outcomes





Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs




Jointly with rainfed and RRR portfolios:• Identify economically viable

management opportunities to increase land and (blue) water productivity for increased incomes and food security

• Analyze pillars for an enabling environment to promote smallholder irrigation

• Evaluate private, public, and PPP models to sustain irrigation infrastructure

Photo: Tom Van Cakenberghe/IWMI

WLE Strategic Research Portfolio: Irrigated Farming Systems






IrrigationRainfed




Making

Ecosystem Services


Outcomes





Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs




Integrates future scenarios of water needs of key sector and the environment to improve water security through:• Managing water resources’

variability and re-thinking storage in basins

• Resource allocation and benefit sharing

• Water and energy for food• Water data and accounting in

basins

WLE Strategic Research Portfolio: Basins






IrrigationRainfed




Making

Ecosystem Services


Outcomes





Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs




Equity in gender, poverty, and institutions integrated into all WLE SRPs to support:• More equitable access

to water, land and ecosystems services

• Improved decision making and enabling environment (institutional, policy, capacity) for change

• Investable options for women

WLE Cross-Cutting Theme: Gender, Poverty and Institutions






IrrigationRainfed




Making

Ecosystem Services


Outcomes





Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs




Applies a systems perspective to:• Develop ecosystem

service-based management options

• Develop and refine a methodology for measuring ecosystem service status and delivery

WLE Cross-Cutting Theme: Ecosystem Services and Resilience

Example: WLE impact pathway for the Volta-Niger – partnerships and scaling


IrrigationRainfed




Making

Ecosystem Services





Outcomes





Identified Research

Outcomes

Identified Priority

Information Needs

WLE IDOs




FARM

REGIONAL/NATIONAL

GLOBAL

LANDSCAPE

Communities, civil society, NGOs, national extension, ARIs, IFAD, SDC

Agriculture and NRM ministries, private sector, CAADP, IFAD, SDC

FAO, GSP, UNCCD, GEF, UNEP, UNDP, private sector, USAID

Bene

ficia

ries:

10s

of t

hous

ands

-100

s of

thou

sand

s-M

illio

ns

WLE program impact pathway

WLE Delivery of Outcomes for Volta - Niger

WLE is well positioned to deliver research outcomes and contribute to IDOs in the Volta – Niger basin:• Skills and expertise to deliver integrated regional

research approach prioritizing natural resources management and ecosystem services

• Physical presence in the sub-region with more than five offices

• More than ten years’ experience: CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF), IWMI and partners

• Partnerships with leading regional change agents (e.g., ECOWAS, river basins authorities)

Water Land and Ecosystem: M&E for Impact

Organizing Principles

• SLOs and IDOs• Accountability, performance management• Learning

Organizing Structure

• Impact pathways• Measureable targets

Performan

ce Manageme

nt

• Gather information on research users and their decision making processes• Shape research around uptake targets• Determine how research was/was not used and satisfaction with research• Refine targets

Selected

Tools

• Case studies that trace the effects of research along impact pathways• Impact evaluation and theory based evaluation• Web-enabled monitoring system

Water Land and Ecosystem: M&E for ImpactSelected DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES (9-12 YEARS)

Annual % decrease in the number of households (including female headed households) below the poverty line relative to a comparable control group

% decrease in the number of households affected by drought or flood Internal rate of return on investments demonstrated to be positive Number of farmers adopting RRR techniques (in millions) % decrease in the number of hectares of crop affected by drought and / or flood % annual increase in the volume of water stored as groundwater, to mitigate against drought Annual % improvement in soil degradation rates % of land quality assessment indicators showing at least a 5% improvement Annual increase in the number of people (including women) participating in natural resource planning and governance mechanisms

Selected RESEARCH OUTCOMES (0 TO 9 YEARS) Km2 managed under WLE inspired projects Number of direct beneficiaries (at least 50% women) in Millions Value of investments made (in projects) as a result of WLE research ($US Millions) Number of countries making significant policy changes based on WLE research Number of countries significantly changing their resource management / development plans based on WLE research Number of targets in the 2015 sustainable development goals which address key SRP issues % of new IUCN/GEF projects employing WLE assessment tools or key recommendations WLE research cited in Ramsar declarations or manuals Number of countries where capacity development activities were implemented (outside of WLE) but based on WLE research

Selected RESEARCH OUTPUTS (0-12 YEARS) % of research identified by clients % of research products which adequately addressed gender (as assessed by the WLE gender advisor)

Selected WLE research outcomes:• Value of investments made as a result

of WLE research• Number of countries changing

resource management/development plans based on WLE research

Selected WLE development outcomes:• Annual percent decrease in number of

households below the poverty line• Annual percent improvement in soil

degradation rates• Percent annual increase in volume of

water stored as groundwater, to mitigate against drought

• Number of businesses adopting resource recovery and reuse techniques

WLE Highlights of Emerging Outcomes

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are contributing to N2Africa to improve soil fertility and yields of more than 225,000 farmers smallholder farmers (more than 50% women) in sub-Saharan Africa

The IWMI Tata Program’s engagement with the National Planning Commission of India resulted in incorporation of the National Irrigation Management Fund in India’s 12th Five Year Plan. Worth USD 1.25 billion, this will improve the performance of canal-based irrigation schemes and efficiency in water use.

CPWF and CIAT have supported development of benefit-sharing mechanisms to maintain watersheds in Peru, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment. This will be used in the Canete River Basin as a pilot project to guide the development of benefit-sharing mechanisms in more than 30 additional basins.

WLE reflections on CGIAR Strategy Results Framework, SLOs, IDOs, impact pathways

WLE welcomes:1. SLOs, IDOs and associated

impact pathways provide a practical framework and process to drive integrated multi-sectoral and multi-partner research strategies towards development goals

2. Emphasis on research users

4. Emphasis on iteration and learning

5. Emphasis on accountability for contributions to development, specific measureable targets

6. ISPC recognition of the challenges of attribution, particularly for NRM research

WLE Reflections on CGIAR Strategy Results Framework

Requires: Well-articulated planning, clarity, support and time

Meaningful multi-institution change management is a long-term process that requires changes at several levels

Structures, practices, processes, personnel, policies


Unless results can be attributed to research, development outcomes are not a valid performance measurement instrument

CRPs should be accountable for:√ Understanding factors that determine uptake → designing

research products and processes on this basis√ Producing high quality and timely research outputs

√ Understanding whether research was relevant and was used√ Determining whether research outcomes were realized and

why/why not

Accountability of CRPs


√ Development change processes and the role of research within them√ Validation of the Impact Pathway and Theory of Change approaches

→ Guidance for CRPs to effectively influence the conditions by which change is achieved

More research is required to better understand the processes and approaches by which research contributes to positive

development outcomes

Thank You

CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) - Elizabeth Weight and Andrew Noble

Science

wle impact pathway

water land

date wle reflections

research outcomes ident

information systems

remaining natural ecosystems

cgiar research program

water productivity