The year 2018 marked the beginning of the United Nations (UN) International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development,” sending a clear signal to the global community about the importance of water for sustainable development and the connecting role that water management must play in creating “the future we want.” The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) spared no effort in reinforcing this message with key stakeholders. Through presentations, special sessions and panel discussions, we registered a strong presence at the High-Level Conference on the International Decade for Action, which the UN organized jointly with the Government of Tajikistan. At the same time, we promoted with the international media IWMI research in this country that usefully informed conference deliberations, with emphasis on gender and governance solutions for more effective irrigation management.
As we hope is evident from IWMI’s global engagement over the year and from the work presented in this annual report, our researchers continue to lead the way toward improved water management for agriculture, while also achieving progress in more comprehensive efforts to address water challenges. Building on this strong foundation, IWMI will now take its research to the next level through a new strategy for the period 2019-2023.
Giving us a clear line of sight to impact, the new strategy calls for increased efforts to generate knowledge and information products; strengthen capacity and foster dialogue; and deliver policy analysis for better water management. We are excited about the opportunities that IWMI’s research will create to address the global development agenda, and trust that our enthusiasm will prove contagious within a widening circle of partners and investors, as we carry the new strategy forward.
