Session FT 4.15

Sustainable paddy water use and its functionality with better governance

 

 

Conveners 

• International Network for Water and Ecosystem in Paddy Fields (INWEPF)
• Asian Regional Working Group, International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ASRWG, ICID)

 

Paddy water systems are essential to sustaining human life and natural ecosystems in many rural watersheds in the Asia Monsoon region. It is important to formulate common understanding in sustainable paddy water use in order to contribute to solving global water issues. For this purpose, INWEPF and ASRWG of ICID are organizing a joint session in the 4th World Forum which is one of the most important events for water issues.
The session will lead to three goals, "Food Security and Poverty Alleviation", "Sustainable Water Use" and "Partnership", following the Ministerial Recommendation by Ministerial Meeting on Water for Food and Agriculture in the 3rd World Water Forum.
The session aims to formulate common understanding in paddy farming and water, and to establish sustainable paddy farming and its water systems with better governance

 

 

Key messages

 

Because paddy water systems provide not only water for food production but also a broad spectrum of services related to society, culture and the environment, the session aims to confirm through the discussion that:

1. The multiple use, roles, values, services and other aspects of agricultural water in paddy farming regions should be recognized, evaluated and incorporated into water resources development plans and management strategies;
2. The traditional wisdom and experiences of local communities and the value of their participation in water planning and management should be fully acknowledged; and
3. It should be recognized that governmental assistance is important and often necessary for adequate investment, modernization and management of rice water systems, in order to achieve food security, to alleviate poverty and to conserve ecosystems.

 

 

Orientations for action

 

1. Awareness-raising of local stakeholders on the multifunctionality
2. Networking and participation mechanism for local stakeholders on management activities and other social functions
3. Viability of eco-oriented farming and possible support mechanism (institution, policy or trade)
   

 

Local Actions presented

 

 

International Network for Water and Ecosystem in Paddy Fields

INWEPF

 

As the population is rapidly increasing yet available freshwater resources are very limited, it is crucially important to promote sustainable water use in paddy fields with better governance including participatory irrigation management.
We are implementing several actions for the better understandings of water management, multiple roles of water in paddy fields, governance of water use in paddy fields and for the development of good practices and facilitation of a common understanding in sustainable water use in paddy fields.
Through the activities, The INWEPF provided an open platform for promoting dialogue, exchanging information and experiences, creating synergy among existing forums, strengthening capacity building, developing good practices and formulating ideas for innovative policy and management options in the field of sustainable paddy water use, conservation of environment and better governance.

 

Enhancing Diversities and Multifunctionality through Better Water Management and Eco-Agriculture

International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage

 

As part of the follow-up activities of WWF-3, held in Japan in March 2003, several activities have been initiated.  One of them is the creation of the Work Team on “Multiple Roles and Diversity of Irrigation Water” within the Asian Regional Working Group of International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) at the occasion of the International Executive Council Meeting held in France in 2004.
Through the activities of this WT, various local actions of identifying the multifunctional roles of water has been identified and analyzed, leading to the method of quantifying and valuing these roles.  Approaches and initiatives (government and local levels) to enhance these roles were identified, including eco-friendly farming, multiple uses of water, and socio-cultural activities utilizing the concerned facilities, by involving local stakeholders in these activities.