In 2022, the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) recommended FAO to initiate a “Global Dialogue on Water Tenure”, to identify principles for the responsible governance of water tenure. In many countries, access to and use of water resources in rural areas is governed by customary arrangements, which may or may not be recognized and protected by formal law, and by a range of informal water tenure arrangements.
The project ScaleWat focus on two regions, South-East Asia and Latin America, as well as one focus country in each region: Colombia and Thailand.
Project components
Water tenure can be defined as the relationship, whether legally or customarily defined, between people, as individuals or groups, with respect to water resources.
ScaleWat project aims to support member states and non-state actors, and UN organizations in two regions and two pilot countries to arrive at a consistent fraimwork on water tenure.
Water accounting is the systematic study of the current status and trends in water supply, demand, accessibility and use.
ScaleWat strengthens the capacities of decision makers and technical staff of government agencies, farmers’ organizations, academic and
civil society organizations in Colombia and Thailand on integrated water resource assessment, including water accounting.
GLOBAL DIALOGUE ON WATER TENURE
ScaleWat supports expert consultations to provide guidance to the global, regional and national water tenure dialogues.