WATDEV Final Conference will focus on integrating grassroots knowledge and research into water and soil management strategies

The WATDEV project (Climate Smart Water Management and Sustainable Development for Food and Agriculture in East Africa) will conclude its four-year journey with a Final International Conference entitled “Integrating Grassroots Knowledge and Research into Water and Soil Management in Africa”, taking place on 15–16 June 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, and online worldwide.

Organized in a hybrid format by ASARECA, KALRO, and CIHEAM Bari, the event will bring together researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, representatives of regional and international Organizations, government institutions, and other key stakeholders, from across Africa, Europe and beyond to reflect together on innovative approaches to sustainable water and soil management for food and agriculture.

After a four-year journey of collaborative research, capacity development and stakeholder engagement across Africa, the WATDEV Final International Conference will offer an opportunity to reflect on key achievements and lessons learned from this project. Moreover, the conference will boost synergies and dialogue with other ten DeSIRA-funded initiatives and Afro-European cooperation projects to jointly examine how grassroots knowledge and scientific innovation can be combined to support sustainable agricultural development and climate resilience.

Through interactive sessions and thematic presentations, the event will explore how to effectively integrate local knowledge, scientific research and innovative decision-support tools to improve water and soil management while strengthening the resilience of farming systems to climate change. The conference will also provide an opportunity to illustrate to the audience, WATDEV’s results and legacy. Among the project’s results, participants will explore the Water Management Toolbox, designed to support climate-smart planning and resource management through the simulation of Best-Management Practices scenarios. They will also discuss pathways for its institutional integration and long-term sustainability.

Over two days, discussions will also focus on strategic challenges and cross-cutting experiences from WATDEV and other international initiatives, addressing topics such as scaling of Best Management Practices (BMPs), strengthening extension services and capacity systems, advancing integrated modelling and basin planning approaches and promoting institutional uptake and policy alignment. As climate variability, resource degradation, and growing food demands continue to challenge agricultural systems across the continent, such integrated approaches are becoming increasingly important for sustainable development.

Funded by the European Union under the DeSIRA Initiative, WATDEV is implemented by a multidisciplinary consortium comprising the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation – AICS Cairo, CIHEAM Bari, ASARECA, Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), Water and Land Resources Center in Ethiopia (WLRC),Heliopolis University in Egypt, Water Research Center in Sudan (WRC), CNR (Italy),  SYKE (Finland) and ISRIC (The Netherlands). Together, these partners have worked to strengthen climate-smart water management and sustainable agricultural development across the region

As WATDEV reaches its conclusion, the Final International Conference represents an important opportunity to share experiences, strengthen partnerships and contribute to ongoing efforts towards sustainable, climate-resilient water and soil management for food and agriculture in Africa.

Agenda of the Conference:

WATDEV Final Conference_AGENDA_12062026.pdf

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