The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) was a comprehensive, global research program that ran from 2002 to 2013. CPWF’s mandate was two-fold: carry out research on innovative solutions for improving food production through better water management; and test new approaches for conducting research-for-development.
Over the course of twelve years, the program conducted more than 120 research projects in partnership with more than 400 organizations. It carried out its work in ten river basins that are home to more than 1.5 billion people—half of whom are among the poorest on Earth.
As CPWF progressed, its approach to tackling the challenges of food security, poverty and water scarcity evolved. The program piloted a research-for-development approach that guided its efforts to undertake research with the goal of achieving relevant development outcomes.
In 2011, CPWF officially merged with the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). WLE combines the resources of fourteen CGIAR centers and numerous external partners to provide an integrated approach to natural resource management research. It builds on the research results, emerging outcomes, partnerships and approach of CPWF.