From early warning to early action: Governing water for drought-resilient landscapes

From early warning to early action: Governing water for drought-resilient landscapes 

Drought is often described as a shortage of rain. Its consequences, however, are shaped as much by decisions as by weather: who can access water, how it is allocated, whether institutions act on warnings, and whether communities have the resources to prepare before a crisis begins. 

These questions were at the centre of Water Governance for Drought Resilience, the first webinar in the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Science Program’s new webinar series. Held on 30 July 2026, the session brought together nearly 70 participants to examine how stronger water governance, integrated planning and practical innovation can help landscapes withstand growing water stress. 

The CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Science Program advances integrated management of food, land, water and ecosystems. It treats landscapes as the scale at which environmental processes, production systems, governance, markets and social realities meet. This perspective is particularly important for drought: interventions at farm level can only deliver lasting results when supported by functioning institutions, suitable policies, reliable data and investment at wider landscape and basin scales. 

The webinar’s featured speaker was Dr Mohsin Hafeez, Strategic Program Director for Water, Food and Ecosystems at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Drawing on examples from Africa and Asia, he showed that drought is not a single event or condition. Meteorological, agricultural and hydrological drought interact, eventually affecting incomes, food security, ecosystems, and social stability. 

Warning is only the beginning 

One of the session’s strongest messages was that better forecasting does not automatically produce better outcomes. “Early warning and forecasting are one thing, but what action can we take? What anticipatory action can we take?” Dr Hafeez asked. 

He outlined three connected pillars of integrated drought management: monitoring and early warning; vulnerability and impact assessment; and preparedness, response and mitigation. Together, they shift the emphasis from reacting after losses occur to understanding who and what is at risk, planning for different scenarios and acting early. 

Examples included drought monitoring and decision-support systems used across South Asia and East and Southern Africa (e.g., Zambia); locally led drought planning with communities; and district-level contingency plans covering crops, livestock, fisheries and other livelihood systems. The discussion made a critical distinction: information becomes useful only when institutions can interpret it, communities can access it and resources are available to act. 

Participants examined how these lessons could be adapted in Latin America and the Middle East. 

Connecting governance from global to local 

Effective water governance must also connect multiple levels. Global agreements can establish direction, but national laws, river-basin institutions, local plans, budgets and enforcement determine what changes on the ground. As the presentation put it, nothing cascades by itself. Each step requires a mandate, finance, data and clear institutional responsibility. 

This is where a landscape approach adds value. Water decisions cannot be separated from choices about crops, energy, ecosystems, infrastructure and livelihoods. The webinar highlighted the Water-Energy-Food-Environment nexus as a way to examine trade-offs and shared benefits, including how water is allocated among agriculture, cities, industry and ecosystems. 

Technologies can support these choices, but they must respond to local conditions. Dr Hafeez shared examples ranging from water accounting and digital decision-support tools to rainwater harvesting, managed aquifer recharge, wetland protection and farmer-friendly soil-moisture sensors. In Tanzania, sensor-supported irrigation trials reported average water-use reductions of 60 per cent, alongside higher crop yields and water productivity. In Pakistan, simple colour-coded soil moisture sensors helped farmers decide when and how much to irrigate. 

The principle is not to promote one universal solution, but to combine climate-smart agriculture, nature-based solutions, appropriate technology, local knowledge and institutional capacity. As Dr Hafeez stressed during the discussion, the underlying principles may travel, but their application must be adapted to local water availability, farming systems, infrastructure and agroecological conditions. 

Carrying the conversation into UNCCD COP17 

The webinar was convened ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 17 to 28 August 2026. Drought resilience, water, land restoration and food systems are prominent in the COP17 programme. 

COP17 presents an opportunity to move from broad commitment to practical implementation: turning drought plans into funded action, making institutions accountable, and ensuring that science and finance reach the landscapes and communities facing the greatest risks. The experiences shared during the webinar show that workable solutions already exist. The challenge is to connect them, adapt them and scale them without losing sight of local realities. 

Dr Hafeez closed with a simple message: “A little water goes a long way.” Used wisely, and supported by capable institutions and informed communities, even limited water resources can strengthen livelihoods and resilience. As CGIAR MFL takes this conversation to COP17, the task is clear: connect global ambition with local action, and bring evidence from landscapes back into global decisions. 

 Author: Regina Edward- Uwadiale