About the Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI) Programme
The Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI) is a regional partnership programme led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa. Established in 2013, WSI responds to one of the most urgent and defining challenges facing the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region: severe and growing water scarcity and its direct implications for food security, livelihoods, ecosystems, and long-term stability.
WSI was conceived as a Regional Water Collaborative Platform that brings together governments, UN agencies, regional organizations, research institutions, development partners, and civil society. It was launched following the development of the Regional Collaborative Strategy on Sustainable Agricultural Water Management in the NENA Region, endorsed during the 1st NENA Land and Water Days in 2013.
Since its establishment, WSI has grown into a multi-country programme supporting nine countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen) while fostering knowledge exchange across the broader membership of the League of Arab States.
At its core, WSI recognizes that water and food security are intrinsically linked and cannot be addressed through isolated sectoral interventions. Sustainable solutions require coordinated action across water, agriculture, energy, and environmental sectors, underpinned by evidence, policy coherence, and strong partnerships.
How WSI Works
The WSI Programme is structured around three strategic outcomes, implemented through integrated and mutually reinforcing interventions:
1. Strengthening Agricultural Water Governance
WSI supports countries in improving the technical, institutional, legal, and policy frameworks governing water resources. This includes:
- Promoting water accounting and water productivity tools
- Enhancing water allocation systems at watershed level
- Strengthening groundwater governance
- Supporting safe and strategic use of non-conventional water (wastewater reuse and desalination)
- Promoting the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus approach
By improving governance systems, countries can optimize water allocation, reduce inefficiencies, ensure equitable access, and safeguard ecosystems while enhancing agricultural productivity.
2. Building Resilience of Food Systems and Water Services
Climate change is intensifying droughts, variability, and water-related risks across the region. WSI works to strengthen resilience by:
- Promoting climate-smart and resource-efficient agriculture
- Protecting land, water, and biodiversity
- Enhancing drought preparedness and early warning systems
- Improving rural water services and WASH systems
- Exploring sustainable solutions in saline and marginal environments
These efforts aim to build adaptive capacity in both rain-fed and irrigated systems, sustain rural livelihoods, and protect vulnerable communities.
3. Advancing Knowledge, Innovation, and Regional Cooperation
Evidence-based decision-making is central to WSI’s approach. The initiative promotes:
- Improved water measurement, monitoring, and modelling
- Digital tools and ICT platforms for informed decision-making
- Regional knowledge exchange and capacity development
- Policy dialogue and intergovernmental coordination
- Awareness on sustainable water use and responsible food consumption
By bridging science, policy, and practice, WSI helps translate local evidence into national strategies and regional action.