Managing a scarce resource such as water requires innovative practices, and collaboration and coordination at different levels. These are some of the many interesting examples we have found from different parts of the world. Ethiopia: More efficient laws In spite of being a country with abundant water (including, for example, the source of the Blue … Read more

The March 2011 issue of Farming Matters will look at the specific role which youngsters play in family farming. As agreed by the UN General Assembly, the year starting on 12 August 2010 has been proclaimed as the International Year of Youth. Twenty-five years after the first International Youth Year was celebrated, the world has … Read more

This issue of Farming Matters contains many examples of people working together to manage their water resources in an efficient way. The message is important. We live in a world where the pressure on water resources is growing and where many of the surface water resources are overcommitted. Yet there are still many opportunities that … Read more

Do markets work for small-scale farmers? HIVOS and IIED are planning a series of provocative seminars, to take place over the coming months, in order to encourage a debate on the policy priorities and practices around this controversial issue. These seminars will involve different stakeholders and will be reported on in this magazine. We asked … Read more

Water is generally taken from different sources, and used for multiple purposes. The multiple-use water services approach, MUS, contrasts sharply with the sectoral divides that are common within the water sector, which view domestic use, irrigation and sanitation in isolation rather than as a whole. Pilot projects in different parts of the world show the … Read more

Using ram pumps is a simple way of getting water uphill. But, as AIDFI’s work in the Philippines shows, it is crucial to involve all stakeholders in the process of building and installing such pumps. By working closely with villagers and professionals, AIDFI has helped to increase the availability of water in many villages, and … Read more

Anuradha Mittal – A recent report from the Oakland Institute shows the important role that the World Bank and its institutions have played in the processes of land acquisition (or land grabs) recently experienced in many countries. In an interview with Farming Matters, its executive director, Anuradha Mittal, questions the role of such institutions and … Read more

A large percentage of the country is below sea level. Keeping the land dry requires a comprehensive system of dykes and dams, which have made Holland famous. But water management is also based on traditional governance structures. While the Dutch water boards are centuries old, they still have the responsibility for preventing floods. Holland is … Read more

The Trans-Himalayan region of Nepal is often referred to as the country’s desert. Water is a scarce resource that has traditionally been managed through local norms and institutions. The remoteness of the region has limited the role and influence of the central government. Although the locally managed irrigation system has been running for centuries, recent … Read more

We all use water: we drink it, use it to grow, process and cook food, to make other products and cool things down. Water also plays a key role in conserving nature: ecosystems depend on flows of water. The availability (and quality) of water is of concern to everybody. But different uses and different interests … Read more