1ST Wasag International Forum about " Water Scarcity in Agricolture" - Praia, Capo Verde, 19 - 22 March 2019
Under the patronage of Cabo Verde, in collaboration with Italy and the FAO, the 1st WASAG International Forum on ‘’Water Scarcity in Agriculture was held in Praia, Capo Verde March 19th -22nd 2019. The forum aimed at identifying concrete, practical, innovative and collaborative solutions to address water scarcity in agriculture in a changing climate. With a focus on Cabo Verde, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and West African countries, the forum highlighted how water scarcity in agriculture can be addressed and turned into an opportunity for sustainable development, food and nutrition security.
The forum was structured around six thematic areas: Water and Migration, Drought Preparedness, Financing Mechanisms, Water and Nutrition, Sustainable Agriculture Water Use and Saline Agriculture. Over 200 people participated in the conference: decision-makers, professionals, scientists and experts from WASAG partners and stakeholders, regional organizations, public and private sectors from different regions of the world with an interest in water scarcity in agriculture.
WASAG has been designed to bring together key players across the globe and across sectors to tackle the collective challenge of using water better in agriculture to ensure food security for all. It is an initiative for partners from all fields and backgrounds to collaborate by supporting countries and stakeholders in their commitments and plans related to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Paris Climate Agreement and other relevant plans and programmes.
The collaboration between Water JPI and FACCE-JPI (Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change) through the WaterWorks 2015 ERA-NET was presented by Heather McKhann, Coordinator of FACCE-JPI, in the session on “Financing mechanisms for sustainable management of water resources’’. In this presentation, the concept of joint programming was presented as well as the 2016 call and a sample of funded projects, was given. It offered an opportunity for the two JPIs to increase their visibility on the global scale and to showcase their work.
The Forum also represented an opportunity to foster robust relationships among participants, presenters and institutions for future collaborations on addressing water scarcity in various parts of the planet.