Expanding investment in sustainable, small scale irrigation for agricultural-led growth, resilience and well-being: Lessons from 10 years of research
March 1, 2023 at 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, DC
Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation Symposium
ILSSI brought together partners, collaborators and stakeholders to share ten years of research on small scale irrigation at a recent symposium in Washington, DC on March 1st. In addition to presentations on research results and capacity development in Ghana, Ethiopia, Mali and Tanzania, featured keynote speakers and panelists highlighted remaining knowledge gaps and future issues for research. Check out the presentations and program below:
Welcome
Nicole Lefore, Texas A & M University
Water and agriculture in the U.S. Global Food Security Strategy
Jerry Glover, USAID Bureau for Resilience and Food Security,
Climate adaptation and agricultural water
Katie Kennedy Freeman, Sr Ag Economist, Agriculture and Climate Adaptation, World Bank
Linking Science to Action – A World Bank/CGIAR Partnership Scaling Innovations in Irrigation
Session 1: Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural-Led Economic Growth
Contributing to agricultural led growth and improved livelihoods through small-scale irrigation
Moderator: Michael Dockrey, ACDI-VOCA
Presenters:
- Bedru Balana, International Food Policy Research Institute
Small-Scale Irrigation – Income and economic growth opportunities - Minh Thai, International Water Management Institute
Partnering with private sector to reaching more smallholder farmers: Potential and constraint - Karin Jeanneret, ENNOS
Contributing to agricultural led growth and improved livelihoods through small-scale irrigation - Melkamu Derseh, International Livestock Research Institute
ILSSI Irrigated fodder research and development: lessons from cooperative based interventions
Discussion: Climate adaptation, agriculture and market systems: Irrigation scaling and research-private partnerships (Video)
Moderator: Keith Dokho, USAID
Panelists:
- Ku MacMahan, USAID
- Joy Busolo, World Bank
- Tesfaye Hailu, Power for All
Session 2: Strengthened resilience among people and systems
Scaling irrigation for sustainability and resilience of people and systems amid climate change
Moderator: Dr. Srinivasan, Texas A & M University
Presenters:
- Fati Aziz, Texas A & M University
Suitability, sustainability and resilience: case study from Mali on vegetables and vegetable seed - Claudia Ringler and Hua Xie, IFPRI
Solar Irrigation – Selected Findings from ILSSI - Petra Schmitter, International Water Management Institute
Scaling irrigation for sustainability and resilience of people and systems amid climate change - Hagar ElDidi and Wei Zhang – IFPRI
Getting Ahead of the Game: Experiential Learning on Groundwater Governance and Collective Action
Discussion: Climate resilience, water risks & steps toward sustainability (Video)
Moderator: Ann Vaughan, USAID
Panelists:
- Peter Thorne, International Livestock Research Institute
- Carlijn Nouwen, Climate Action Platform
- Tess Russo, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Agustin Cornejo, Off Grid Manager at Tetra Tech, SURE Senegal Project
Session 3: A well-nourished population, especially among women and children
From irrigation to improved nutrition and equity: Guiding intervention
Moderator : Katherine Snyder, University of Arizona
Presenters:
- Elizabeth Bryan, International Food Policy Research Institute
Small-Scale Irrigation and Nutrition: Lessons from East and West Africa
Discussant:
- Kelley Cormier, Food Safety Division Chief, USAID
Session 4: Cross-cutting – Capacity development
Ensuring the capacity to sustain water for agriculture and resilience
Moderator : Jessica Bagdonis, USAID
Localization at USAID
Presenters:
- Nicole Lefore, Texas A & M University
Capacity for sustainable agricultural water use - Seifu Tilahun, Bahir Dar University and IWMI
Ensuring the capacity to sustain water for agriculture and resilience
Session 4: Looking Forward
Discussion: Building a resilient future: Issues in farmer-centered, smallholder irrigation (Video)
Moderator: USAID
Panelists:
- Nicholas Brozovic, Daugherty Water for Food Institute, University of Nebraska
- Belete Bantero, Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute
- Biniam Iyob, USAID
- Jen Mayer, Mercy Corps
