FAO's Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity in the Near East: Overview

1. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt FAO's Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity in the Near East: Overview Mohamed Bazza, PhD Senior Officer, FAO

2. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Background • Prior to 2012 • FAO’s Work Plan - 11 Strategic Objectives • Approach to planning : Strategic Framework 2010-19 reviewed, Medium Term Plan prepared every 4 years • As of January 2012 • - New Management • - Launch of a “Strategic Thinking Process” for preparation of MTP for 2014-17 • Results: 1. Reviewed Strategic Framework Outline • 2.Five Strategic Objectives for MTP 2014-15, • potential main priorities of emphasis of FAO’s work

3. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt • Strategic Framework SO1 SO2 SO3 SO4 SO5 slide 6

4. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Background As of January 2012 - New Management - Launch of a “Strategic Thinking Process” for preparation of MTP for 2014-17 ResultS: 1. Reviewed Strategic Framework Outline 2. Five Strategic Objectives for MTP 2014-15 3. Six Regional Initiatives to pilot implementation of SOs in 2013 SO2 Latin America Europe Asia Africa Near East Water Scarcity

5. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt WaterScarcity Initiative • WhyWater Scarcity • Among top priorities in “FAO’s Regional Priority Framework for Near East” (2010 and 2012) • approaches water resource management within the context of agriculture and food security since almost 90% of water use allocated to agriculture and food security is both another regional priority and FAO’s concern • Innovations, Principles • Focus on regional priorities • Integration, multi-disciplinary approach • Joint work by Decentralized Offices and HQ • enhanced collaboration between countries • Partnership

6. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt WaterScarcity Initiative • Project development • 1. Facts • Near East region is water-scarce and net food importer as a result • Countries have over past 40-50 years made important economic development efforts and investment in water resources, albeit with differences • Region has acquired good experience in water management; and is slightly ahead of other similar regions in terms of agriculture water management indicators • HOWEVER, current levels of performance and food insecurity gap reduction are still well below potential and do not reflect acuity of water scarcity which is higher than in other regions • The approaches to improve water management applied over the past 10-15 years have reached their limits and become too redundant • 2.Resources and timeframe • Human resources • One Million US Dollars • One year

7. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt WaterScarcity Initiative • Project Development • 3. Project Scope • How best to benefit the region, building on the experiences and knowledge of countries, FAO and other partners active in the field of agriculture water in the region, in order to identify gaps and highlight priority areas for action to improve Agriculture water productivity in a sustainable manner, and thus reduce the food deficit gap? • Rather than continuing business as usual, there is a need to inject fresh thinking into the process of finding sustainable solutions to water scarcity and food security problems through facilitating the implementation of cost-effective water investments and management practices • 4. Beneficiaries • Members Countries of FAO Near East Region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen • 5. Partners • Multiple partners on national, regional and international levels, e.g. ICARDA, IFAD, IDRC, GIZ, World Bank, African Development Bank, AWC, etc.

8. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Objective and Outcomes • Overall Objectives • support Member Countries in identifying priority areas of action in agriculture water management that can significantly contribute to boosting agriculture productivity, improving food security and sustaining water resources • highlight the specific areas that require support of partners active in the field of agriculture water in the region • build partnerships to move the process forward.

9. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Objective and Outcomes • Outcome I • A regional collaborative strategy on sustainable agriculture water management for increasing the level of food security in the Near East Region endorsed by Member Countries • build on past experience and knowledge to identify critical gaps and most efficient means to sustainably increase food production and improve food security in the face of water scarcity • help countries identify priority areas for action and remove identified gaps/constraints • Highlight areas requiring technical support by partners and facilitate development of collaborative partnerships for the provision of such support • also include baseline and indicators for implementation, starting in 2014 • Elaboration driven by countries, in close collaboration with FAO and partners, through consultative process involving relevant stakeholders within countries • Draft Strategy presented at a regional meeting of senior decision-makers from member countries and partners for review and endorsement. Final version presented to the 32nd FAO Regional Conference for the Near East in February 2014 for endorsement.

10. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Objective and Outcomes Outcome I Regional Collaborative Strategy Outputs I.1.Knowledge gap Analysis I.2. Food Supply Options Analysis I.3. Nat. Water Audits Assessment of experiences, policies, practices and measures to cope with water scarcity with regard to effectiveness, highlighting successes and failures and the reasons of both Assessment of the available food supply options in terms of effectiveness, cost as well as technical, social and environmental feasibility Based on food supply enhancement options identified under I.2, national data and statistics, accounts of water supply & demand as well as institutional, social, environmental and financial dimensions of water management

11. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Objective and Outcomes • Outcome II • A Regional partnership to support countries in the implementation of the regional collaborative strategy • Establish Regional Partnership composed of representatives of Member Countries and broad range of partners including donors, support providers and other stakeholders • Partnerswill be key players in the consultative process to elaborate the Strategy and in its subsequent implementation • Strategy will also be shared with other stakeholders and potential partners active in the field of water resources in the region, in order to facilitate coordination and identify additional synergies

12. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Objective and Outcomes Outcome II Regional Partnership Output Collaboration agreement on implementation Partners elaborating the Strategy will enter into an agreement to be officially announced in regional meeting. Final Strategy will bear the logos and names of collaborating partners

13. Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt Implementation Approach • Preparatory Phase • FAO Multi-disciplinary team (DOs, HQ) • Consultations with countries and potential partners • Partnership building • Multi-stakeholders team in pilot countries • Launching workshop • Assessment in Pilot Countries • Gap Analysis (desk study and in-country) • Food Supply Cost curve Analysis • National Water Audits • in-Country workshops • Land and Water Days (lessons from Land and Water Projects) • Data collection from non-pilot countries • Regional Collaborative Strategy • Elaboration • Discussion at regional level • Endorsement by FAO Regional Conference

14. Thank you