This document discusses how rainwater management can help smallholder farmers adapt to climate variability and change. It notes that rainfed farming is at risk from increasing climate variability. Several rainwater management options are presented, including capturing, storing, and managing water at the landscape level. Case studies of successful rainwater management innovations in Africa are provided, including Zai pits, groundwater utilization, and landscape water management. The document advocates for investing in rainwater management and strengthening local institutions to support smallholder farmers' resilience.

1. How
can
rainwater
management
help
support
smallholder
farmers’
ability
to
adapt
to
climate
variability
and
change?

2. Learning
Event
Objec>ve
• To
demonstrate
the
value
of
inves>ng
in
rainwater
management
to
strengthen
adap>ve
capacity
of
smallholder
farmers

3. Rainfed
farming
at
risk
Dependence on igreen and blue limate
variability
from
ncreasing
c water 2000

4. Per
capita
water
storage
in
cubic
meters
in
human-­‐made
reservoirs
by
con>nent…
…but
large
dams
are
not
the
only
op>on,
nor
a
sufficient
op>on,
for
climate
smart
agriculture

5. Climate
smart:
adapta>on,
mi>ga>on
and
livelihoods
start
with
rain,
manage
for
variety
of
livelihood
strategies
and
landscape
niches
4/02/2011
ILRI
Campus,
Water
and
Agriculture
Share
Fair
ETHIOPIA

6. Consider
A
Range
of
Agricultural
Water
Management
Op>ons
Fish, Livestock, Crops,
Ecosystem Services

7. Rainwater
Management
• It
is
about
capturing,
storing,
managing
and
increasing
produc>vity
of
water
• It
can
rehabilitate
landscapes
under
scenarios
of
increasing
or
decreasing
rainfall
and
increased
climate
variability.
• It
can
be
decentralized,
adaptable,
inexpensive,
relevant
to
large
areas
of
lands
currently
being
used
for
rainfed
agriculture.

8. Collec.ve
ac.on
Capturing
water
In
landscapes
Managing
landscapes
yield
more
water
Rainwater
Management
Systems
More
Food
/
More
Income
/
Resilient
Ins.tu.ons!
Ins.tu.ons!
Storing
water
Ins.tu.ons!
Improved
WP

9. Inves.ng
in
Watershed
Management
Upstream-­‐downstream
linkages
(Irriga.on)

10. Market
Incen.ves:
Rainwater
harves.ng
with
high
value
crops
10

11. Need
to
think
beyond
crop
produc.on
§ Feed
quality;
reduce
methane
emissions
§ Integrate
livestock
into
wider
development
agenda
(e.g.
irriga>on;
watershed
management);
§ Watering
points
in
closer
distances
(>
35%
milk
yield);
§ Limit
conversion
of
range
to
annual
croplands;
C
sequestra>on
§ Maximize
transpira>on
at
the
expense
of
evapora>on
(feed);
§ Market
Incen>ves

12. Policy Implications..
• Investment
priority
towards
landscape
rainwater
management,
water
storage;
• Strengthening
/
Building
local
ins.tu.ons
(byelaws/
religious
organiza.ons/
WUA);
• Facilitate
informa.on
flow
/
technologies
using
local
channels;
• Policy
commitment
to
link
development
with
ecosystem
services
-­‐
Water;
12

13.
Policy Implications..
•
Policy
geared
towards
climate-­‐sensi.ve
systems
(Agriculture
/
wetlands
/
water
towers)
and
vulnerable
communi.es;
• Na.onal
government
investments
favoring
small
storage
structures
• Cross-­‐boundary
hydrological
planning
/
watershed
management;
(drought
and
flood
monitoring
and
informa.on
system;
coping
strategies);
13

14. Bus
Stops
on
Successful
Examples
• Objec>ves
– Present
successful
examples
of
small
scale
Rainwater
management
– Get
feedback
on
how
these
can
go
to
scale

15. Successful
Examples
1. Zai
pits
for
in
situ
water
management:
Mathias
Fosu
(Back
of
Room)
2. Groundwater
u>liza>on:
Deborah
Bossio
(Outside
lec)
3. Landscape
water
management:
Enyew
Adgo
(Inside
front)
4. In-­‐field
rainwater
harves>ng:
Jacobus
Botha
(In
the
corner
outside)

16. Process
• 2
rounds
of
bus
stops
x
15
minutes
• Presenters
will
present
for
5-­‐6
minutes
on
the
innova>on,
why
successful
and
its
limita>ons
– Discussion
:
“How
can
we
bring
the
innova>on
to
scale”
– Try
to
balance
number
of
people
in
each
bus
stop
• Acer,
come
back
to
synthesize
key
messages
and
how
RWM
approaches
can
be
beier
integrated
into
regional
and
na>onal
debates

17. Learn
more
at
• CPWF
website
Hip://www.waterandfood.org
– More
on
rainwater
management:
– hip://waterandfood.org/page/News-­‐and-­‐Events/
news:83
• IWMI
website:
www.iwmi.org