The first WASAG International forum on Water Scarcity in Agriculture Forum took place in Praia, Cabo Verde from 19 to 22 March 2019, under the theme ‘Leaving no one behind’. More than 300 delegates from 48 countries, including 30% of women, attended the forum.

The Prime Minister of Cabo Verde officiated the opening ceremony while the President of the National Assembly closed the forum. Both invited the delegates to return to Praia for future WASAG forums. On the last day, WASAG Partners – under the guidance of its six working groups – adopted the Praia Commitments, a set of 17 commitments that will translate the work of WASAG into measurable actions to monitor its future achievements. This constitutes a firm step forward for WASAG and its working groups.

The forum provided a platform for networking, with stakeholders exploring opportunities for collaboration, including in new areas. As an example, under the working group on Saline Agriculture, WASAG partners are collaborating in developing a project proposal for “Integrated and sustainable farming solutions to achieve the Water-Food-Energy security nexus in Cape Verde”. The project aims to combine a set of innovative technologies, including solar power, to use saline groundwater for agriculture.

The participants have been invited to complete a survey to evaluate the forum.
The outcomes of the survey were presented during the Stockholm World Water Week in the WASAG showcase event “Focus on Cabo Verde and on innovative financing” on Tuesday 27 August 2019 from 13.00 to 15.30. They are expected to contribute to the planning of future activities of WASAG, including the frequency and venue of future forums.

Read the 1st WASAG International Forum executive summary here.