Climate Resilient and Sustainable Ganges Basin

Behera, Abhijit; Alam, Mohammad Faiz; Chaudhary, Shivam; Sena, Dipaka Ranjan; Sikka, Alok

Climate Resilient and Sustainable Ganges Basin

Autores

Editor

International Water Management Institute

Descripción

This workshop report summarizes discussions and outcomes from the national workshop on “Climate Resilient and Sustainable Ganges Basin”, organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) under the CGIAR Policy Innovations Science Program in New Delhi on December 1, 2025. The event brought together representatives from government agencies, research institutions, development organizations, and civil society to explore evidence-based approaches for strengthening groundwater security, climate resilience, and integrated water governance in the Ganga Basin. The workshop focused on two key themes: strengthening Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) investments through scientific evidence and advancing Water–Energy–Food–Environment (WEFE) nexus approaches for sustainable basin management. Presentations highlighted findings from field assessments of MAR interventions in the Ramganga Basin, strategies for managing water-quality risks, groundwater governance through experiential learning, water-saving opportunities in rice cultivation, and innovative digital tools such as the WEFE Nexus Decision Support System (DSS) and the TRACE satellite-based surface water monitoring platform. Discussions emphasized the need for risk-based MAR guidelines, stronger community participation, integrated data platforms, and scaling of digital decision-support tools within national water and watershed programs. The workshop resulted in the release of two policy briefs and generated actionable recommendations for policymakers and practitioners. The outcomes underscore the importance of combining scientific research, stakeholder engagement, and cross-sectoral collaboration to build climate-resilient and sustainable water management systems across the Ganges Basin.