Page - 20 - in options, Volume summer 2021

East Africa is the world’s fastest growing region, with GDP increasing by 5% or more each year for the last decade. Part of this growth can be attributed to the East Africa Vision 2050, an initiative launched in 2015 by the Head of States of the East African Community to increase development while protecting the environment. A large focus of this effort is achieving water security for the region, even as demand increases from population and economic development. Through a partnership with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), IIASA researchers are helping to identify pathways to sustainable development. IIASA researcher Sylvia Tramberend and colleagues have developed water scenarios for 2050 that take socioeconomic, climate change, and environmental factors into account. Because agriculture was shown to be a key driver of water demand, IIASA and other stakeholders focus on scaling up resilient water and agricultural systems (scaleWAYS) in the extended Lake Victoria Basin. Stakeholders have selected rice and livestock-fodder systems for studying up-scaling potentials in the region. “Co-development is imperative for research and the implementation of potential solutions,” says Tramberend. “The Lake Victoria Basin in East Africa is a hotspot of socioeconomic and environmental change. Achieving sustainability goals here can leverage development opportunities beyond just East Africa. The institute’s partnership with the LVBC has enriched our research approach and we are committed to following a joint approach to supporting and facilitating science-based decisions about sustainable management of natural resources in the region.” One of the biggest challenges to global food security is drought. This is especially true for smallholder farmers, who often have limited access to resources for responding to droughts. While household resource availability varies, a lack of access to secure and adequate land, as well as water-storage and irrigation infrastructure are persistent problems for many smallholders. In a recent publication, IIASA researcher Adam French and colleagues presented findings from a study in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. The study assessed impacts of the 2015-2018 drought on smallholder farmer livelihoods, as well as the coping and adaptation strategies used. Collecting and analyzing data from face-to-face interviews and focus groups, the researchers found that both government and private sector support improved smallholder coping strategies. Additionally, the findings indicate that information sharing and social network participation helped some farmers adapt. Formalizing structures for learning and knowledge sharing, as well as refining mechanisms for distributing aid, were also found to be important to enhancing future drought preparation and response. “Smallholder farmers in the Western Cape of South Africa are particularly vulnerable to the region’s recurrent droughts,” explains French. “Policymakers should consider the insights of this locally-led research into coping and adaptation strategies employed by smallholders during the country’s historic drought of 2015-2018. In particular, the findings related to inter- household diversity in drought response and adaptive capacity have potential to inform more targeted and effective support for building resilience to future droughts.” Adapting to droughts in South Africa A F R I C A Improving water security in East Africa Regional impacts Sylvia Tramberend: trambers@iiasa.ac.at Adam French: french@iiasa.ac.at Further info: pure.iiasa.ac.at/17016 Further info: www.iiasa.ac.at/wfas-eastafrica pure.iiasa.ac.at/17125 By Jeremy Summers 20 Options www.iiasa.ac.atSummer 2021