EARTH SUMMIT+5 Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise the Implementation of Agenda 21 New York, 23-27 June 1997 PROGRAMME FACT SHEETS

	Promoting Sustainable Water Management in the Drylands
	Responsible Organization(s)	UNDP, Office to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNSO). The programme is developed in collaboration with the Centre for Development Cooperation Services (CDCS) of Free University of Amsterdam, International Development Research Centre (Canada), Natural Heritage Institute (USA), and ENDA-Energie (Environnement et D‚veloppement du Tiers Monde, Senegal).
	Description	In the drylands, limitations and scarcity of water is a major constraint to sustainable livelihoods. Access to and sustainable management of water is critical for improving per capita food production and income, preventing further land degradation, rehabilitating degraded lands and last but not least, decreasing vulnerability to droughts. The programme developed within the context of the implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) is based on the following assumptions: There is a wealth of indigenous and local knowledge and technologies related to sustainable water management at the local level that can be used and/or improved for widespread adoption by smallholders, but there have been few attempts to promote, on a systematic and sustained basis, exchange of information of these experiences. Highest results can be achieved through the involvement of innovative farmers/artisans as local experts, who can plan a key role in the diffusion of innovations. The p rogramme will focus on improving water management under three settings: (I) rain-fed conditions; (ii) small-scale irrigation; and (iii) pastoral land use systems. While global in scope, the programme, in the first phase, will focus on the needs of Africa, in line with the priority given that region by the CCD.
	Issues addressed	Enhancing food security through adoption of successful water harvesting and soil and water conservation practices under rainfed conditions, by rural households. Enhancing user responsibility and capability in the development and management of water resources for irrigation in Africa. Contributing to development of more sustainable use of natural resources and rehabilitation of degraded areas.
	Objectives	The overall goal of the programme is to facilitate the transfer and exchange of experiences and information on, and technologies for, sustainable water management for the benefit of land users in affected developing countries, particularly in Africa. To accomplish the above goal, the programme aims to: identify constraints to efficient water management, and document, analyze and diffuse information on successful interventions for more widespread use and adoption by land users at the local level; promote policy dialogue among concerned parties at national level, in order to bring about the policy reforms needed to establish a sustained basis for efficient exploitation of water resources for agricultural development of drylands.
	Results achieved	A Global Programme to Promote Sustainable Water Management in the Drylands in the context of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification has been established along with a sub-programme on rain-fed agriculture. Another sub-programme on small-scale irrigation is being developed. The expected outputs are: A wider dissemination and adoption of successful experiences, techniques and know-how on water in dryland areas. Large number of farmers and herders trained in sustainable water management practices. An "enabling environment" established at national level in the affected countries to promote and support sustainable water management at the local level for agricultural purpose.
	Lessons learned	It is too early to draw lessons from the programme at this stage.
	Financing	The sub-component on rainfed conditions is partially funded by the Dutch Government. Resources are being mobilized from different donors for possible funding of the other components.
	Contact	Samuel Nyambi, Director, UNSO Firouz Sobhani, Chief Technical Unit Tel: (212) 906-6614 or 6613 Fax: (212) 906-6345 or 6916 E-mail: unso@undp.org