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Our strategy

IWMI Strategy 2024–2030:
Research and Innovation for Water Security

IWMI’s Strategy 2024–2030 sets an ambitious agenda for research and innovation on water security. Under the motto “Driving Action. Propelling Change,” it applies agile, interdisciplinary and systems-oriented research for development to address complex water problems.

IWMI Strategy 2024–2030:
Research and Innovation for Water Security (PDF)

As IWMI marks its 40th anniversary in 2024, this strategy sets course for the next stage in our organizational journey.

The strategy also emphasizes the power of collective action, which IWMI will harness to ensure that adaptive, robust solutions have lasting impacts. IWMI will continue to align with others to transform water security and create the integrated solutions for food security, nature and climate change needed on the pathway to a just and sustainable future.

Strategic focus areas and transformational levers

At the center of IWMI’s efforts are three strategic focus areas:

  • Mitigating Water Risks — Water risks are reduced, and climate action integrates strategies to anticipate and respond with agility to current and future changes in water risks.
  • Overcoming Global Inequalities — Gender equality and youth and social inclusion are improved to make the benefits of water security more equal, reduce poverty and ensure that water management leaves no one behind.
  • Managing Water Sustainably — Sustainable solutions to meet growing and competing demands for freshwater are applied with increasing scale and speed.

They are further enabled by four Transformational Levers:

  • Water Data Science — IWMI will leverage data science to close data and information gaps and develop and apply data analytics that leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Water Governance — IWMI will strengthen its role in enhancing water governance at local, national and transboundary levels and in improving the coherence of water policies and strategies across sectors and uses.
  • Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion — IWMI will leverage research on the root causes of gender inequality and youth and social exclusion and on how to open more space in water management for the voices of women, youth and people in poor communities.
  • Scaling, Finance and Investment — IWMI will strengthn scaling of innovation for water security and enhance the application of evidence from our research in data-driven support tools for investment, strengthening financing for water and repurposing of subsidies.