Tackling change: future-proofing water, agriculture, and food security in an era of climate uncertainty

Communities across the globe can build resilience to climate change by re-inventing old water storage strategies and investing in new ones, according to a new report by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a member of the CGIAR global partnership, which unites organizations engaged in research for a food secure future. Combining water storage and savings options often is the most effective way to tackle increasing weather variability, the researchers say. But communities need to weigh trade-offs and be wary of unintended consequences. Furthermore, obstacles to the efficient use of water include weak governance, the lack of integrated planning, and poor data. Water is a scarce resource, but the reality in many river basins across the world is that it also is an inefficiently under-used resource that can be better utilized to offset climate change and ensure food security. But the challenge is complex and solutions must be tailored to local situations.