Water Resource Management: New Evidence for New Approaches

Green Technologies for Climate-Resilient Water and Agricultural Systems: Evidence from Phytoremediation and Crop Diversity Research in Ethiopia
Green Technologies for Climate-Resilient Water and Agricultural Systems: Evidence from Phytoremediation and Crop Diversity Research in Ethiopia
Solomon Benor, PhD
Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Ethiopia
Email: solomon.benor@aastu.edu.et

Abstract
Climate change intensifies water scarcity and ecosystem degradation in the Global South, threatening agricultural productivity and food security. This abstract presents an evidence-based strategy for climate resilience from over a decade of research across Ethiopia, addressing two interconnected challenges: nature-based industrial wastewater treatment and climate-adaptive crop genetic resource utilization.
Our research confirms phytoremediation and bioremediation as low-cost, sustainable approaches for treating industrial effluents. Constructed wetlands with Typha latifolia and vetiver grass, plus microalgae (Oscillatoria sp.) as biosorbents, effectively removed heavy metals and synthetic dyes from brewery and textile wastewater. This decentralized technology mitigates pollution, secures water resources, and promotes circular economy principles essential adaptation for water-stressed regions facing industrial growth and drought.
Complementing this, our crop research underscores agricultural biodiversity's role in resilience. Studies on Corchorus (jute mallow) and sorghum landraces identified drought-tolerance traits, enabling development of robust varieties that withstand climatic variability and ensure food security.
This integrated approach bridges water management and food security, offering a scalable blueprint for climate action. Our findings support nature-based solutions aligned with the Paris Agreement and inform policies empowering communities to adapt and thrive.
Keywords: Climate Change Adaptation, Phytoremediation, Water Security, Sustainable Agriculture, Crop Genetic Resources, Ethiopia

Coping with Climate Change: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Irrigation Technology Outcomes in Gujarat, India' (Socius/SAGE, 2026)
Authors: Jamie M. Sommer¹, Trupti Jain², Biplabketan Paul², Karina Yager³, Eliza White⁴, Andrew Hargrove¹, Peggy Ann Spitzer⁵

¹ University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
² Naireeta Services, Ahmedabad, India
³ Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
⁴ Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, USA
⁵ Climate Knowledge Collective, East Setauket, NY, USA

Abstract:
This study presents mixed-methods evidence on Bhungroo, a locally developed sub-surface rainwater harvesting technology deployed in drought- and flood-prone Gujarat, India. Drawing on a 2024 survey of 199 farmers and 48 in-depth interviews from 2019, the research tests whether a low-cost, community-owned adaptation technology improves crop yields, strengthens resilience to climate extremes, and expands women's autonomy over resources and decisions.

Regression analysis shows farms using the technology had significantly higher yields — increases of roughly one-fifth to one-quarter — holding farm size and other factors constant. Ninety-four percent of non-adopting farmers reported ongoing cultivation problems, compared with 27 percent of adopters. Qualitative interviews reveal the mechanisms: reduced water-collection burdens, income reinvestment, and women's emergence as recognized "water managers" within households and communities, even absent formal land or water rights.

Findings offer transferable lessons for adaptation financing and gender-responsive, place-based climate technology design.

Beyond traditional water resources reliance: unlocking Pakistan’s national water harvesting potential via analysis of opportunities and risks
Junaid Ahmad1, Muhammad Mohsin Leghari2, Muhammad Sajjad3

1 Irrigation Department, Government of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
2 Former Minister Irrigation, Punjab, Senator and Member of the National Assembly, Islamabad, Pakistan
3 Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Pakistan faces growing water insecurity because of climate variability, rising demand, and uncertain transboundary river inflows. This study assesses whether rainfall-generated runoff within Pakistan can support decentralized water storage. It combines rainfall, runoff, terrain, soil, land use, vegetation, and environmental risk data to develop a Water Harvesting Potential Index and a Storage Urgency Index for 65 districts in Punjab and Sindh. Flow analysis showed more frequent low-flow years at major upstream reservoirs after 2015. Rainfall increased significantly in 31 of 36 Punjab districts and 20 of 29 Sindh districts, creating both flood risk and an opportunity to capture runoff. Southern Punjab and interior Sindh emerged as priority regions because they combine water scarcity, increasing rainfall, and suitable physical conditions. About 23.7 million acres were initially identified as gross command area. After excluding land exposed to flooding, salinity, waterlogging, and other constraints, about 13.9 million acres remained potentially viable. The study recommends spatially targeted investment in small reservoirs, recharge basins, ponds, and other decentralized systems, supported by local feasibility studies. This approach can reduce dependence on uncertain upstream flows, strengthen drought and flood resilience, and support climate-resilient water and food security.

Drivers and Barriers to Climate-Smart Aquaculture Adoption: Evidence for Scaling Resilient Food Systems in Tanzania
Christopher N. Mdoe¹, Christopher P. Mahonge², and Edwin E. Ngowi³
¹ Institute of Rural Development Planning, Lake Zone Centre–Mwanza, Mwanza, Tanzania
² Department of Policy Planning and Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
³ Department of Development and Strategic Studies, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
Climate-Smart Aquaculture (CSAq) can strengthen climate resilience while supporting sustainable food systems and livelihoods. However, adoption remains constrained by socioeconomic, institutional, and environmental factors. This study examined drivers and barriers to CSAq adoption among 384 smallholder aquaculture farmers in Tanzania's Mwanza and Mara regions using a multinomial logit regression model. Education, gender, and household size significantly influenced CSAq adoption. Access to finance, extension services, and CSAq training were important institutional enablers, while proximity to water sources and climate variability influenced the feasibility of different practices. Integrated farming, combining aquaculture with agriculture and livestock, was the most prevalent CSAq practice. Financial and technical constraints and unequal access to institutional support limited adoption, particularly among women and younger farmers.The findings demonstrate that scaling CSAq requires more than technical interventions or biophysical suitability. Effective implementation depends on inclusive finance, strengthened extension services, targeted training, institutional collaboration, infrastructure, and gender-responsive policies. The study provides actionable evidence for strengthening climate adaptation and resilient food systems in Tanzania and other climate-vulnerable regions.