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
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
Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt
Strategic Framework
SO1
Contribute to the eradication of hunger, food insecurity
and malnutrition
SO2
SO3
SO4
SO5
Increase and improve provision of goods and services
from agriculture, forestry and fisheries in a
sustainable manner
Reduce rural poverty
Enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and
food systems at local, national and international
levels
Increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises
slide 6
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
Europe
Latin
America
Africa
Asia
Near East
Water Scarcity
Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt
Water Scarcity Initiative
Why Water 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
Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt
Water Scarcity 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
-reached
their limits and become too redundant
2. Resources and timeframe
resources
- Human
One Million US Dollars
- One
year
-
10-15 years have
Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt
Water Scarcity 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.
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.
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.
Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt
Objective and Outcomes
Outcome I
Outputs
Regional Collaborative Strategy
I.1.Knowledge gap Analysis
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
I.2. Food Supply Options Analysis
Assessment of the
available food supply
options in terms of
effectiveness, cost as
well as technical,
social and
environmental
feasibility
I.3. Nat. Water Audits
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
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
Partners will 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
Near East Water Scarcity Initiative - Launching Workshop, June 2-4 20013. Cairo, Egypt
Objective and Outcomes
Outcome II
Output
Regional Partnership
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
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
Thank you