The CGIAR Research Programme on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) challenged the perspective that the necessary intensification of agriculture to feed the global population of 9 billion in 2050 and beyond will cause unacceptable harm to the environment, perhaps even undercutting the ecosystems that support agriculture.

The WLE Programme examined how we could intensify agriculture, while still protecting the environment and millions of farm families out of poverty.

The program focused on the three following critical issues:

1. water scarcity,
2. land degradation and
3. ecosystem services.

It also made substantial contributions in the areas of food security, poverty alleviation and, to some extent, health and nutrition.

WLE involved a series of partners along with CGIAR and FAO, including IWMI, ICARDA, IFPRI, Africa Rice Center, Bioversity International, CIAT, CIP, CPWF, ICRISAT, and others.