Programme 2.1.1: Natural Resources

Code

Type

Title

A1

A2

A3

B1

B2

C1

C2

D1

D2

E1

E2

E3

211A1

TP

Agricultural Water Use Efficiency and Conservation

211A2

TP

Land and Soil Productivity

211A3

TP

Integrated Land, Water and Plant Nutrition Policies, Planning and Management

211A5

TP

Land and Water Quality Improvement

211P7

CP

Land and Water Information Systems, Databases and Statistics

211P8

CP

Knowledge Management and Partnerships

211S1

TS

Direct Support to Member Nations and to the Field Programme

211S2

TS

International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID)

Legend

Greater than zero, less than US$ 5 million

US$ 5 million to 10 million

US$ 10 million to 25 million

More than US$ 25 million

174. The programme essentially promotes the conservation and sustainable use of land and water resources and plant nutrient inputs. Areas of emphasis are: sustainable improvement of land and water productivity; soil and water conservation and rehabilitation of degraded land and water resources; development of national and regional strategies; and the integrated planning and management of land, water and plant nutrition resources. A further focus, initiated in 2002-03, on integrated institutional and policy-oriented assistance, outputs and services will continue. Market-oriented policy instruments and issues of public/private partnership will play an increasingly important role. The programme supports the World Water Assessment Programme and three major international conventions on desertification, biodiversity and climate change. Work to address environmental problems was moved from entity 211A3 to a new TP 211A5, Land and Water Quality Improvement. Lower resources in 2002-03 led to reduced work on land resources policies and planning under 211A2, also affecting the development of AQUASTAT⁸¹ and contributions to the World Water Development Report under 211P7.

Rationale

175. Development problem to be addressed: recent international meetings, such as the second World Water Forum and the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), have underlined the acute competition for scarce water resources among economic sectors and the pressing need to take action in this regard. Optimising the efficiency of agricultural water use requires simultaneous improvements in water management and technology, as well as capacity building. Action is needed at all levels, from farmers through irrigation agencies to basin and national water resources institutions.

176. Proposed contribution to problem resolution: technologies allowing a more efficient use of agricultural water are to be widely disseminated, while in situ demonstration will stimulate additional investments in irrigation from the public and private sectors.

177. Intended end beneficiaries and benefits: farmers will benefit from increased investment and improved technologies in irrigation, coupled with more participatory decision making within irrigation schemes. The public at large will benefit from increased food production and/or more water being available for non-agricultural use.

Objective(s)

178. Availability of technologies for efficient use and conservation of water; participatory, equitable and effective water management; improved irrigation policy and related institutional reforms.

Indicator(s)

1. Evidence of increased water use efficiency and productivity due to the adoption of cost-effective irrigation technologies.

Major Output(s)

1. On-farm water control and management methods.
2. Crop water management and supplementary irrigation techniques.
3. Water resources development and irrigation technologies plus water harvesting.
4. Irrigation system improvement and modernisation methods.
5. Institutional restructuring of irrigation.
6. Promotion of appropriate irrigation policy and river basin management.

Rationale

179. Development problem to be addressed: land and water resources are facing increasing pressures and limitations both in quality and quantity in most parts of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, is facing a serious land productivity decline. Governments need to work with multiple stakeholders to ensure viable and equitable land use and efficient resource utilisation through the participatory development and local adaptation of sustainable management strategies and land use options.

180. Proposed contribution to problem resolution: tested land fertilization and soil and moisture management techniques, if adopted by farmers, should help build up land productivity or prevent its decline, reduce excess runoff, erosion and periodic drought hazards, and result in higher, more stable yields.

181. Intended end beneficiaries and benefits: small farmers should benefit from enhanced soil fertility. The environment and public at large will benefit from the improved management of soil and crop biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

Objective(s)

182. In the framework of the post-UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) conventions and the land management cluster of UNCED Agenda 21, test and disseminate improved land, fertility and moisture management options and support the rehabilitation of degraded land in different ago-ecological zones.

Indicator(s)

1. Evidence of adoption of fertility, moisture conservation, soil rehabilitation and integrated plant nutrition management techniques by farmers in SPFS and Soil Fertility Initiative (SFI) related programmes.
2. Feedback from SPFS farmers and trainers on the validity of proposed fertility and moisture management techniques.
3. Examples of land use, land reclamation and fertilisation policies and strategies adopted and implemented as a result of this entity.

Major Output(s)

1. Integrated soil and plant nutrient management practices.
2. Management, conservation and rehabilitation of degraded and problem soils.
3. Land resources analyses and planning tools.
4. Moisture conservation techniques in rainfed areas.

Rationale

183. Development problem to be addressed: in the absence of coherent policies, multi-stakeholder planning processes and appropriate incentive measures, communities are sometimes induced, due to poverty and inadequate support mechanisms, to adopt unsustainable techniques mining the environment or negatively affecting downstream water and land resources' users. Moreover, rural communities are unable to cope with natural events such as drought and floods in the absence of disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies and measures.

184. Proposed contribution to problem resolution: well-informed, multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder decision making processes should result in more sustainable practices, strategies and policies to manage land and water resources and mitigate disasters.

185. Intended end beneficiaries and benefits: farming, pastoral and even urban communities are expected to benefit from the concerted, integrated and sustainable management of the land and water resources they rely upon for their livelihoods, especially in areas vulnerable to resource degradation, drought, floods and other natural hazards.

Objective(s)

186. To promote integrated, multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approaches to the development and sustainable management of land and water resources.

Indicator(s)

1. Examples of effective in situ application of methodologies and technologies for integrated management of land and water, addressing resource access and benefit sharing issues.
2. Examples of wetland development and/or protection programmes based on FAO's capacity building, or initiated as a result of FAO's awareness raising activities.
3. Changes in policy or institutional environment resulting for FAO-supported land and water policy reviews and advice.
4. Evidence of improved preparedness of countries for assessing vulnerability and mitigating land- and water-related constraints and disasters.

Major Output(s)

1. Technologies and methodologies for wetland development and conservation.
2. Guidelines for land and water management in rural watersheds, including disaster preparedness and mitigation for drought and flood.
3. Review of land, water and fertilizer use policies incorporating environmental elements.
4. Revised FAO Land Evaluation Framework.
5. Participation in international fora and global events.

Rationale

187. Development problem to be addressed: poor water quality problems in many parts of the world are further complicated by poor drainage, salinity and associated environmental effects and vulnerability to natural disasters.

188. Proposed contribution to problem resolution: improved drainage systems and irrigation schemes, enhanced quality of treated waste water used in peri-urban irrigation and more appropriate land-use strategies and monitoring tools, help control waterlogging and salinity problems, decrease contamination, and mitigate the effects of related natural disasters.

189. Intended end beneficiaries and benefits: rural and peri-urban farmers in irrigated areas will be better able to maintain or increase their production and mitigate disasters as a result of sustained improvements in the quality and management of irrigation water.

Objective(s)

190. Improved production systems and methods put in place to mitigate environmental effects from poor water quality and natural disasters; improved drainage systems and irrigation schemes, and enhanced quality of treated wastewater used in peri-urban irrigation.

Indicator(s)

1. Examples of improved irrigation water quality, enhanced drainage systems and rehabilitated land resulting from technical support provided by this entity.

Major Output(s)

1. Water quality management techniques and attenuation of negative environmental effects.
2. Waterlogging and salinity control methodologies.
3. Disaster mitigation through waterlogging and salinity control and rehabilitation measures.

Rationale

191. Development problem to be addressed: there is a need to merge information on land and water and to establish linkages with sectoral information systems with a view to forge a comprehensive information base of a multi-scale, multi-purpose nature, also facilitating analysis in support of decision making. This effort should be accompanied with monitoring of the status and utilisation of land and freshwater resources worldwide, as emphasised by the sixth session of the CSD and the fifteenth session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG).

192. Proposed contribution to problem resolution: better informed, more relevant policies, strategies and programmes will result in improved incentive structures and more sustainable management of land and water resources.

193. Intended end beneficiaries and benefits: farmers, herders and fisherfolk, as well as other users of land and water resources should take advantage of an improved policy and planning framework including reduced risks to the environment and more secure production levels.

Objective(s)

194. Better managed land and water resources through information systems for monitoring, and increased awareness among decision makers about the global status of such resources.

Indicator(s)

1. Examples of action taken (policies, programmes) to better manage or protect land and water resources, in part thanks to the awareness created by this entity.

Major Output(s)

1. Land and water information systems development.
2. Land databases and statistics.
3. AQUASTAT and contributions to the World Water Development Report.
4. State of the World Land and Water Resources.

Rationale

195. Development problem to be addressed: lack of information on, and insufficient awareness of land and water issues at country level for planning and policy making, in particular as it relates to major international UN-backed conventions (UNCED, UNCCD, UNCBD and the IPCC).

196. Proposed contribution to problem resolution: this entity collates information for the preparation of issue papers and perspective studies at global, regional and national level (e.g. Agriculture Towards 2015/30), international fora such as CSD, CEB, Global Water Partnership and for other needs such as media articles or research papers. In turn, these publications and international discussions generate greater awareness of land and water issues, resulting in improved decision making.

197. Intended end beneficiaries and benefits: the public at large is set to profit from improved policies, programmes and strategies for the sustainable management of land and water resources.

Objective(s)

198. Better informed decision making at the international, national and local levels; enhanced awareness of issues and actions related to land and water management and conservation.

Indicator(s)

1. Examples of effective use of information and of actions taken in part thanks to this entity.

Major Output(s)

1. Knowledge centre for land and water management.
2. Contributions to studies and inputs to major fora.

199. This entity supports the formulation and implementation of an active portfolio of projects including SPFS and emergency and relief operations, from the perspective of land and water issues.

200. A joint initiative of several partner institutions, IPTRID supports applied research and technology transfer of irrigation and drainage in developing countries through analytical reports, thematic networks, formulation of policies and projects, as well as information dissemination activities.

⁸¹ Rural Water Statistical System