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The increasing incidence of droughts and heavy rainfall events is exacerbating conflicts between human and environmental demands for water. However, through providing multiple water-related ecosystem services and benefits simultaneously, Natural/Small Water Retention Measures (NSWRM) can mitigate such competing claims. Thus, they also contribute to the achievement of various Sustainable Development Goals and environmental targets set out in water- and agriculture-related policies of the European Union. In particular, NSWRM provide for the sound management of watersheds, which can significantly contribute to improved water quality and availability—as well as improving the resilience of agriculture and society. This paper demonstrates how NSWRM fit into the framework of ecosystem-based concepts, including Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM), Green Infrastructure (GI), Sustainable Land Management (SLM), Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), and Nature-based Solutions (NbS). NSWRM, as a distinct concept, bring added value to the other concepts by focussing on easy-to-implement, modestly sized, localised technical solutions to problems associated with water management, sediment, and nutrient loss. Through experience under the EU Horizon 2020 project OPTAIN (“OPtimal strategies to retAIN and re-use water and nutrients in small agricultural catchments across different soil-climatic regions in Europe”), we show what NSWRM are, how they are linked to each of the ecosystem-based concepts, and how they can help add value to these concepts. Fourteen case studies are drawn upon from diverse countries across Europe. As a result of this analysis, we present the potential for the application of NSWRM in the context of these concepts, while helping to identify planning tools, the expertise required, and potential funding mechanisms.

Evelyna Tibemanya decided to try using Tephrosia to keep ticks off her pigs. After coming up with an effective recipe, she has since shared her innovation with many others, and her idea has spread locally, partly through the community based library that she runs. Supported by external organisations, these types of innovations are being brought to the attention of local and national government, universities and policy makers

In the semi-arid Mwingi District in Eastern Kenya, Joseph Ututu and his three brothers have revolutionized the local water supply by digging wells and constructing a windpump. The ingenious windpump that the brothers constructed from old bicycle parts and roofing materials was designed by Joseph Ututu, who had spent four years at technical college. The wells have solved the brother’s water problems and provided considerable additional income. Since they began, more than 30 wells have been dug by neighbours

Innovation by farmers in land husbandry was the focus of the project Promoting Farmer Innovation (PFI), which was operational in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 1997 to 2001. One of the project's final activities was to document best-bet innovations. It was decided to make use of a questionnaire available under the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) to collect data on a selection of these technologies. Data were fed back into WOCAT's global database. Eighteen technical initiatives were recorded in this way, and the findings added to existing data and in-house knowledge. This information was analysed and a technical report produced (Mutunga and Critchley, 2001). The technologies included turning gullies into gardens, digging planting pits for millet and sorghum and harvesting water from roads. Each combined aspects of land conservation with improved plant production. While several required relatively high initial labor input, all were considered economically beneficial by the farmers. Adoption by other farmers was generally rapid, partially as a result of farmer to farmer visits under PFI. The value of the PFI-WOCAT exercise was not restricted to recording and disseminating information, however. It was also a test of the utility of WOCAT within a project. There were a number of interesting findings. Although those who filled the questionnaires found it an onerous task, they felt that they learned a good deal as they went through the process. One of the main conclusions was that the questionnaire could be a very valuable template to help guide internal monitoring and evaluation, if used from the start of a project intervention.

Innovation by farmers in land husbandry was the focus of the project Promoting Farmer Innovation (PFI), which was operational in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 1997 to 2001. One of the project's final activities was to document best-bet innovations. It was decided to make use of a questionnaire available under the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) to collect data on a selection of these technologies. Data were fed back into WOCAT's global database. Eighteen technical initiatives were recorded in this way, and the findings added to existing data and in-house knowledge. This information was analysed and a technical report produced (Mutunga and Critchley, 2001). The technologies included turning gullies into gardens, digging planting pits for millet and sorghum and harvesting water from roads. Each combined aspects of land conservation with improved plant production. While several required relatively high initial labor input, all were considered economically beneficial by the farmers. Adoption by other farmers was generally rapid, partially as a result of farmer to farmer visits under PFI. The value of the PFI-WOCAT exercise was not restricted to recording and disseminating information, however. It was also a test of the utility of WOCAT within a project. There were a number of interesting findings. Although those who filled the questionnaires found it an onerous task, they felt that they learned a good deal as they went through the process. One of the main conclusions was that the questionnaire could be a very valuable template to help guide internal monitoring and evaluation, if used from the start of a project intervention.

Five years ago, Mahender Rautela resigned from his private sector job in Delhi to come back to his home hamlet of Chhabisa and join a small group of water volunteers. He wanted to help his community to cope with the increasing problem of water shortage, by protecting and maintaining water sources and mediating in disputes between water users

Beschrijving, evaluatie en toekomstige uitdagingen van het PFI-programma (Promoting Farmer Innovation) in Kenya, Tanzania en Uganda. Het programma richt zich op het identificeren van innovaties en innovators in de landbouw in aride gebieden, en trainings- en voorlichtingsactiviteiten (farmer-to farmer exchange) om innovaties te promoten