This document is the first systematic discussion of the most important lessons of the APPJ Project of the European Union, which was implemented between the years 1993 and 2001. The project was prepared to respond to the emergency health situation of the cholera epidemic of 1991. The proposed project was to comment on building autonomous systems of drinking water in peri-urban areas not served by the SEDAPAL drinking water network. Lessons learned include: 1) It is not enough to build drinking water systems; 2) It is essential to ensure the existence of units that manage the system efficiently. 3) It is important to operate a monitoring program of the autonomous systems in Lima. This document has been divided into five chapters and three annexes. The first chapter presents the background of the project, the features of the proposal and phases their execution. The second deals with processes that led to major improvements in the construction of the autonomous systems of drinking water. The third chapter discusses the various aspects and factors influencing the sustainability of water systems. The fourth chapter discusses the role of institutional actors involved directly or indirectly in the sustainability of building water systems. Finally, the fifth chapter presents conclusions and lessons. The document ends with three annexes: the first is information on costs and volume of sales of systems visited; the second is a summary of the information status of systems visited, and the third is a list of NGOs who have participated in the implementation of the project.

Water, energy, and agriculture have been conventionally dealt with separately in investment planning. For each of these sectors, regulatory frameworks, organizations, and infrastructures have been put in place to address sector-specific challenges and demands. As the Middle East and North Africa works towards building a more sustainable future, a nexus approach that considers the risks and synergies among these sectors is needed. To demonstrate the added value of a nexus approach, this report applies scenario analysis and integrated assessment modelling of the water-energy-food nexus to the Middle East and North Africa. The analysis finds that water scarcity increases in all countries in the region over the coming decades, mostly due to growing demands. More importantly, the analysis finds that many countries in the region could run out of fossil groundwater by 2050 unless measures to curb unsustainable abstraction are implemented. The impacts of growing scarcity on agriculture are significant, with production projected to drop by 60 percent by 2050 in some countries. On the upside, reducing the dependence of the agricultural and energy sectors on water and transitioning to renewable energies can reduce water scarcity, at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This document is the first systematic discussion of the most important lessons of the APPJ Project of the European Union, which was implemented between the years 1993 and 2001. The project was prepared to respond to the emergency health situation of the cholera epidemic of 1991. The proposed project was to comment on building autonomous systems of drinking water in peri-urban areas not served by the SEDAPAL drinking water network. Lessons learned include: 1) It is not enough to build drinking water systems; 2) It is essential to ensure the existence of units that manage the system efficiently. 3) It is important to operate a monitoring program of the autonomous systems in Lima. This document has been divided into five chapters and three annexes. The first chapter presents the background of the project, the features of the proposal and phases their execution. The second deals with processes that led to major improvements in the construction of the autonomous systems of drinking water. The third chapter discusses the various aspects and factors influencing the sustainability of water systems. The fourth chapter discusses the role of institutional actors involved directly or indirectly in the sustainability of building water systems. Finally, the fifth chapter presents conclusions and lessons. The document ends with three annexes: the first is information on costs and volume of sales of systems visited; the second is a summary of the information status of systems visited, and the third is a list of NGOs who have participated in the implementation of the project.

Water, energy, and agriculture have been conventionally dealt with separately in investment planning. For each of these sectors, regulatory frameworks, organizations, and infrastructures have been put in place to address sector-specific challenges and demands. As the Middle East and North Africa works towards building a more sustainable future, a nexus approach that considers the risks and synergies among these sectors is needed. To demonstrate the added value of a nexus approach, this report applies scenario analysis and integrated assessment modelling of the water-energy-food nexus to the Middle East and North Africa. The analysis finds that water scarcity increases in all countries in the region over the coming decades, mostly due to growing demands. More importantly, the analysis finds that many countries in the region could run out of fossil groundwater by 2050 unless measures to curb unsustainable abstraction are implemented. The impacts of growing scarcity on agriculture are significant, with production projected to drop by 60 by 2050 in some countries. On the upside, reducing the dependence of the agricultural and energy sectors on water and transitioning to renewable energies can reduce water scarcity, at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This report is targeted to policy makers, the academic community, and a wider global audience interested in exploring the interactions between water, agriculture, and energy.

This article was developed as an outcome of the “Water-Energy-Food Nexus” High Level Panel (HLP) which took place at the XVI World Water Congress, Cancun Mexico, June 1, 2017. The HLP’s goal was to demonstrate the extent of interconnection between the water, energy, and food Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The HLP highlighted lessons learned from various thematic and regional case studies and experiences. The panel focused on exploring the possible trade-offs among possible pathways for implementation of the SDGs, and on identifying holistic assessment criteria for accounting for potential competition of multiple implementation plans at different scales. This focus led to substantial discussion about ways to improve policy coherence through improved communication between policy and science across both sectors and scales.

This article was developed as an outcome of the “Water-Energy-Food Nexus” High Level Panel (HLP) which took place at the XVI World Water Congress, Cancun Mexico, June 1, 2017. The HLP’s goal was to demonstrate the extent of interconnection between the water, energy, and food Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The HLP highlighted lessons learned from various thematic and regional case studies and experiences. The panel focused on exploring the possible trade-offs among possible pathways for implementation of the SDGs, and on identifying holistic assessment criteria for accounting for potential competition of multiple implementation plans at different scales. This focus led to substantial discussion about ways to improve policy coherence through improved communication between policy and science across both sectors and scales.

Recognizing the importance of policy debate and knowledge sharing in the field of development, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and the World Bank (Middle East and North Africa Region) agreed in March 2010 to hold joint high-level development seminars around issues pertaining to the Arab World. These were to be known as the Arab Development Symposia (ADS) and will be held on a regular basis, every 18 months or so, at the Arab Fund premises in Kuwait. The goal was to provide an opportunity for policymakers, practitioners and academicians to share ideas and experiences on topics which are high on the Arab development agenda. As such, the ADS series complement other fora for research and knowledge sharing and dissemination such as the Economic Research Forum (ERF) and the Research Initiative for Arab Development (RIAD).

Recognizing the importance of policy debate and knowledge sharing in the field of development, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and the World Bank (Middle East and North Africa Region) agreed in March 2010 to hold joint high-level development seminars around issues pertaining to the Arab World. These were to be known as the Arab Development Symposia (ADS) and will be held on a regular basis, every 18 months or so, at the Arab Fund premises in Kuwait. The goal was to provide an opportunity for policymakers, practitioners and academicians to share ideas and experiences on topics which are high on the Arab development agenda. As such, the ADS series complement other fora for research and knowledge sharing and dissemination such as the Economic Research Forum (ERF) and the Research Initiative for Arab Development (RIAD).

In the Middle East and North Africa, food security and water security are tightly entwined. In particular, choices about the extent to which food security policies rely on trade rather than domestically produced staples have stark consequences for the region's limited water resources. This paper builds on previous modeling results comparing the cost and benefits of policies to protect consumers against surging international wheat prices, and expands the analysis to consider the consequences of the policies for water resources. A self-sufficiency policy is analyzed as well. Results suggest that trade-based food security policies have no significant effect on the sustainability of water resources, while the costs of policies based on self-sufficiency for water resources are high. The analysis also shows that while information about the water footprint of alternative production systems is helpful, a corresponding economic footprint that fully measures the resource cost of water is needed to concisely rank alternative policies in economic terms that are consistent with sustainable outcomes.

The Middle East and North Africa (MNA) region is one of the most water scarce regions in the world, with a regional annual average of 1,200 cubic meters per person (world average is close to 7,000). Water, not land, is now the limiting factor for improving agricultural production in the MNA region. Maximizing water productivity, not yield per unit of land, is, therefore, a better strategy for on-farm water management under such conditions. Raising water productivity requires integrated attention to improving technical, agronomic and management measures. Water User Associations greatly facilitate the implementation of integrated measures. Using satellite remote sensing technologies, planners and policy makers can make more effective decisions to ensure a stable supply of water for food and the environment. All MNA countries with the exception of Morocco are net importers of agricultural products. The greatest benefits for MNA will be generated by comprehensive domestic agricultural reforms, in tandem with higher market access in European and world markets. MNA governments will face issues relating to timing and sequencing of reforms. Given its current resources endowments and growth prospects, it is in the best interest for MNA countries to push towards proceeding with the liberalization of markets in developed countries. At the same time, they could ask for some sort of compensation for higher prices and lost preferences in the form of non-trade distorting financial schemes or even cash grants for those countries facing significant losses as a result. Countries will have to pay a particular attention to the implications of this gradual approach for government revenues, adjustment costs and credibility of reforms.