CPWF aims to increase resilience through better water management for food production. It conducts research leading to policy change and impact on poverty through partnerships. Key collaborations with GWP include exchanging views, with GWP as a strategic partner in African basins. They help set research agendas and influence policymakers. In the Andes, restoring degraded paramo wetlands through conservation agriculture improved downstream water quality and ecosystem services in Lake Fuquene. Understanding changes in water storage and organic matter can help identify triggers for alternate resilient states to support more farmers converting to conservation practices. Challenges include estimating and enhancing food security through ecosystem services across larger basins.

1. Our collaboration with GWP Alain Vidal CPWF Director GWP 2011 Consulting Partners Meeting : Water as a catalyst for achieving food security Stockholm, 18-19 August 2011

2. CPWF aims to increase the resilience of social and ecological systems through better water management for food production Through its broad partnerships, it conducts research that leads to impact on the poor and to policy change

3. Addressing critical development challenges in 6 river basins Water governance and management in coastal areas Integrated management of rainwater and small reservoirs Landscape approach to rainwater management Dams and poverty reduction Benefit-sharing mechanisms Integrated management of rainwater for smallholders 2 1

5. Key collaborations with GWP Longstanding exchange of views and information GWP - a strategic partner in African basins Helping set the research agenda, and influencing changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices among policymakers Limpopo: partner of the ‘coordination and change’ project led by FANRPAN – emphasis on policy Volta: partner of the ‘coordination and change’ project led by VBA – emphasis on communications Nile: under development Involved in cross-cutting science activities, eg resilience of social & ecological systems

6. Food security research & actionSpecific proposals Intermediary between science and policy Helping set the research agenda Facilitating processes to influence water-related policy Focusing on the water-food-energy nexus? Need for joint learning to understand the science and turn it into strategic messages to engage policy makers Evolve GWP concept of IWRM and CA concept of trade-offs From sharing water (zero-sum) … …to sharing benefits (win-win)

7. Sharing the benefits Restoring ecosystem services in the Andes

8. Downstream – where the concern for ecosystem services emerged 8 High altitude wetland (paramo) degraded by potato cropping and overgrazing Eutrophication and shrinking of Fuquene Lake (downstream)

9. Restoring upstream and downstream ecosystem services 9 Paramo restored through conservation tillage and oat/potato rotation Water quality and downstream ecosystem services from Fuquene Lake improved

10. Understanding resulting changes on upstream water 10 Conservation agriculture More water stored, restoring the buffer role of paramo Traditional agriculture % Volumetric Water Better soil porosity, filtration, increased carbon storage Conservation agriculture Accumulated Organic Matter (g/g) Traditional agriculture

11. Understanding triggers for change between alternate resilient states 11 Conservation agriculture and paramo restoration supported by revolving fund Annual net income: US$ 2,183/ha Farmers‘ insufficient gain and risk aversion: only 11% converted Revolving fund credit: +180 farmers /year Potato cropping, grazing pressure, degradation of paramo S Annual net income: US$ 1,870/ha

12. What are the challenges? Sharing the benefits from water How do we estimate them? How can ecosystem services support enhance food security? How do ecosystem services work in larger basins? Which partners & disciplines are required? More ideas later today… 12

13. Thank you a.vidal@cgiar.org www.waterandfood.org