Managing water resources for sustainable rural development

Transfer of technology, both horizontal and vertical, needs to be strengthened. Mechanisms to provide credit, input supplies, markets, appropriate pricing and transportation must be developed jointly by countries and external support agencies. Integrated rural water-supply infrastructure, including facilities for water-related education and training and support services for agriculture, should be expanded for multiple use and should assist in developing the rural economy.

Many are still denied the clean water and food security which are basic human rights. Assessments confirm a dramatically-rising pressure on land resources, particularly in mainland Asia and Africa. Future freshwater problems look even more severe than they did two years ago. UNEP's GEO-2000 Report emphasizes how land issues are inextricably interwoven with water management at both national and regional levels.

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.

1. Increasing sustainable food production
2. Increasing integrated management of water resources
3. Ensuring sustainable agricultural development
4. Advancing integrated rural development

1. Providing water for agriculture
2. Improving water supply in rural communities
3. Improving management of rural water supply

1. Using water distribution schemes to increase water retention of grasslands
2. Using treated waste water for agriculture
3. Using saline water for agriculture
4. Using integrated pest management
5. Undertaking long-term capacity building measures for improved water management
6. Undertaking environmental management measures to control disease vectors
7. Training in community water resources management
8. Training extension staff on water resource technology
9. Strengthening water resource research capabilities in developing countries
10. Setting quality criteria for marine and freshwater ecosystems
11. Setting quality criteria for agricultural water use
12. Rehabilitating degraded aquatic environments
13. Providing technical advice for institutional cooperation in local communities
14. Preventing contamination of water sources by animal excrement
15. Preventing adverse impacts on aquatic living resources
16. Preventing adverse impact of agricultural activity on water quality
17. Monitoring irrigation
18. Minimizing soil erosion
19. Making multiple use of water through integrated agro-livestock-fishery programmes
20. Involving private sector in developing human resources and infrastructure
21. Informing public about adverse impacts of chemicals
22. Increasing water sources for livestock to prevent overgrazing around existing sources
23. Increasing efficiency of agricultural water use
24. Increasing cooperation within and among water management agencies
25. Improving quality of water for livestock
26. Improving land and water management by farmers in arid regions
27. Improving international exchange of information on water management technology
28. Improving fish yields in inland waters using environmentally sound management methods
29. Improving career development programmes for land and water management staff
30. Implementing environmentally sound hydropower schemes
31. Implementing efficient rural water cost-recovery programmes
32. Identifying critical areas for water resource research
33. Formulating large scale irrigation development programmes
34. Expanding water and soil management research for irrigated and rain-fed areas
35. Expanding public education on hygiene
36. Expanding integrated use of rural water supply infrastructure
37. Expanding artificial drainage for irrigated agriculture
38. Establishing sustainable aquaculture development strategies
39. Establishing national policy to expand water supply
40. Ensuring proper disposal of manure from intensive livestock operations
41. Eliminating disease transmission sources
42. Draining fields to prevent waterlogging
43. Developing sustainable coastal fishing policy
44. Developing small scale irrigation to conserve water
45. Developing drainage for irrigated lands in arid and semi-arid regions
46. Delegating community responsibility for water
47. Creating drought preparedness programmes stressing food security
48. Comparing economic feasibility of aquaculture with other water resource use
49. Assessing training needs for agricultural water management
50. Assessing the environmental impact of aquaculture
51. Assessing hydrobiology and environmental requirements of inland fish species
52. Adopting appropriate water treatment technology
53. Accelerating use of agricultural water use technologies

1. Ensuring sustainable use of marine living resources under national jurisdiction

1. Unsustainable
2. Unproductivity
3. Undeveloped
4. Underproduction
5. Underdevelopment
6. Overproduction
7. Overdevelopment
8. Development

1. Agenda 21