Water is a key driver of economic and social development while it also has a basic function in maintaining the integrity of the natural environment. Presents the rationale approach for the Integrated Water Resources Management; this volume brings together both the different environmental problems that affect the very different ecosystems and the main methodologies able to face the problem of IWM. It will be of an invaluable resource for those involved in urban water management, including water utility managers, engineering technical staff, operations and maintenance specialists.

Water resources and services are integrated measures of social systems that range beyond the technical world and the IWRM requires a balance between competing views of social and political issues. This volume focuses on increased awareness of the human dimension, women's role, environmental protection, sustainability and food security aspects in achieving sustainable water management. Understanding the strategies used by small farmers, as well as how small farming systems work or why they fail, could shed light on the constraints they face and the measures to be taken to overcome them. It also draws key insights on movements promoting the involvement of grassroots communities in the sustainable management of their resources.