International Water Management Institute

What International Water Management Institute does

International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a non-profit scientific research organization headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and one of 13 CGIAR Research Centers. Founded in 1984 as the International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI) and renamed in 1997 to reflect an integrated water mandate, IWMI works on sustainable management of water and land resources in the context of climate change, food security, and inclusive growth. It operates 17 country offices across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe and runs programs in more than 55 countries, with a workforce of 101-250 staff (headcount totals across offices sum to approximately 228). Primary stakeholders are national and regional governments, multilateral institutions, smallholder farmers and agricultural communities, development partners, and research institutions.

IWMI's product portfolio centers on AI-powered and data-driven tools for water resource management, including the Global Hydrological Foundation Model, the Limpopo Water Copilot decision-support tool, basin-scale digital twins (Limpopo and Nile), the Digital Innovations for Water Secure Africa (DIWASA) initiative, the South Asia Drought Monitoring System, an AI-powered drought advisory deployed in India, the WaPOR water productivity portal, environmental-flows databases (GEFDAT, GEFIS), a solar irrigation pump sizing tool, an aquaculture decision-support tool, mobile weather stations, and gender-climate vulnerability hotspot mapping. These products combine Earth observation, hydrological modeling, AI/ML, and remote sensing, and are published under open access.

IWMI's business model is grant-funded research-for-development. Revenue is sourced from research grants and donor partnerships with entities including the European Union, German government, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Green Climate Fund, Google.org, Sida, UK FCDO, GIZ, WMO, FAO, and UAE Government (via the CGIAR AI Hub), as well as CGIAR core funding. In 2024, grant income grew 23.6% and the institute ran 126 active projects with 154 partners, publishing 126 journal articles, 184 reports, 19 book chapters, and three books. Outputs are not commercially priced; instead, impact is delivered through policy engagement, capacity building, and partnership-based deployment of tools with governments and development actors.

Name

International Water Management Institute

Legal name

International Water Management Institute

Website

https://iwmi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

International Water Management Institute is a non-profit CGIAR Research Center headquartered in Sri Lanka that develops AI-powered digital twins, hydrological foundation models, and decision-support tools for sustainable water management, serving governments, smallholder farmers, and multilateral development partners across 55+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Research

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI)

Keywords

• Water resource management
• Irrigation research
• Hydrological monitoring
• Climate resilience research
• Agricultural water solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Colombo

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Donor Funding: IWMI generates revenue through research grants and funding from governments, development agencies, foundations, and international organizations. The institute is a CGIAR Research Center and receives support from multiple funders including the European Union, Gates Foundation, and various government development agencies.
2. Partnership-Based Research Contracts: IWMI conducts contracted research in partnership with governments, regional organizations, and international bodies. In 2024, the institute worked with 154 partners and had a portfolio of 126 projects, with a 23.6% increase in grant income.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IWMI is a research-for-development organization that conducts scientific research on water and land resources management and deploys digital tools, AI models, decision-support systems, and basin-scale digital twins to address water security, climate change, and food security challenges. The institute partners with governments, development agencies, farmers, civil society, and the private sector to translate research into policy, capacity building, and field-level solutions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Product overview

IWMI is a research-for-development organization offering a portfolio of digital tools, AI models, decision-support systems, databases, and monitoring platforms for water resource management. The core offerings include the Global Hydrological Foundation Model and Limpopo Water Copilot for AI-powered water management; Digital Twin of the Limpopo River Basin and Digital Innovations for Water Secure Africa (DIWASA) for basin-scale digital planning; the South Asia Drought Monitoring System and AI-powered drought advisory for early warning; and specialized tools like the Solar Irrigation Pump Sizing Tool, Aquaculture Decision-Support Tool, and environmental flows databases. These products serve governments, policymakers, farmers, and development partners across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Innovations for Water Secure Africa (DIWASA) An initiative combining Earth observation, artificial intelligence, and advanced data analytics to improve water planning and governance across Africa, developing continent-wide water data products and digital tools for irrigation management, water accounting, and climate resilience frameworks.
• Digital Twin of the Limpopo River Basin A flagship digital twin providing near real-time insights into river flows, water quality, and irrigation use across the Limpopo River Basin in southern Africa, developed with The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and Digital Earth Africa.
• Global Hydrological Foundation Model An AI-enabled foundation model for hydrological applications, supporting climate-vulnerable regions with water management tools and deployed through the CGIAR AI Hub in partnership with the UAE Government and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Limpopo Water Copilot An AI-powered decision-support tool for climate-vulnerable regions in the Limpopo River Basin enabling water management recommendations and scenario analysis, deployed through the CGIAR AI Hub.
• AI-Powered Drought Advisory (India) India's first anticipatory AI-powered drought advisory system that transforms early warning into early action, providing drought management recommendations to smallholder farmers for climate risk management.
• South Asia Drought Monitoring System (SADMS) A drought monitoring and forecasting system covering South Asia, with integration of mobile weather stations, providing real-time drought conditions and predictions across the region.
• Global Environmental Flows Information System (GEFIS) An information system providing access to global environmental flows data for sustainable water resource management and ecosystem conservation across diverse river systems.
• Global Environmental Flows Database (GEFDAT) A database providing environmental flow information to support sustainable water resource management and ecosystem conservation globally.
• Solar Irrigation Pump Sizing Tool (India) A tool for sizing solar-powered irrigation pumps in India, helping farmers and planners select appropriate solar irrigation solutions for on-farm water management.
• Aquaculture Decision-Support Tool (Myanmar) A decision-support tool for sustainable aquaculture planning and management in small reservoirs across Myanmar, supporting fish farmers and policymakers in co-designing aquaculture business models.
• Climate Change and Gender Vulnerability Hotspot Mapping (Ghana) A mapping tool identifying climate change and gender vulnerability hotspots in Ghana to support targeted adaptation interventions and inclusive policymaking.
• eLandCare Ethiopia A digital platform supporting land care management in Ethiopia, enabling sustainable land and water resource management practices at community level.
• Mobile Weather Stations Mobile weather stations providing real-time climate and weather data for agricultural water management decisions, integrated with the South Asia Drought Monitoring System.
• Spatially Distributed Freshwater Demand for Electricity in Africa A dataset mapping freshwater demand for electricity generation across Africa to support energy-water nexus planning and sustainable development.
• Nile Basin Digital Twin A digital twin system for the Nile Basin designed to strengthen water resources management, forecasting capabilities, and regional cooperation across the transboundary river system, jointly developed with the Nile Basin Initiative and supported by the European Union and the German government.

Quantifiable outcome

• Women's earnings increased by 50% through Al Murunah project in Egypt
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Joint design of a digital twin for the Nile Basin to strengthen water resources management, forecasting capabilities, and regional cooperation across the transboundary river system. Priority areas identified include the Strategic Water Resources Assessment and the Regional Hydrological Monitoring and Forecasting System. Initiative supported by the European Union and German government.
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2026Five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed to strengthen cooperation on early warning systems and climate-resilient water management in vulnerable regions of Africa and Asia. The partnership integrates climate and hydrological data, leverages AI and emerging technologies, and builds national capacities to help countries transition from early warning to early action against floods, droughts, and water scarcity. Supports coordinated engagement with global initiatives like Early Warnings for All.
• Kenya Ministry of Water and IrrigationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025MoU signed to strengthen water management systems, improve irrigation efficiency, and enhance national food security. Partnership supports the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan through baseline studies, irrigation scheme mapping, land suitability assessment, and development of a sustainable irrigation water tariff framework. Also aims to strengthen integrated data systems, promote nature-based solutions, and expand solar-powered irrigation technologies under the government's BETA Agenda.
• United Arab Emirates GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Contribution of water-focused AI expertise to UAE-led AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development launched in partnership with the Gates Foundation, operating through the CGIAR AI Hub. IWMI deploying its Global Hydrological Foundation Model and the Limpopo Water Copilot decision-support tool for climate-vulnerable regions.
• CGIARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIWMI is a CGIAR Research Center, part of a global research partnership for a food-secure future dedicated to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis. CGIAR science is carried out by 13 CGIAR Centers/Alliances in close collaboration with hundreds of partners.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration at Cairo Water Week 2025 showcasing advances in water productivity and resilience. Joint efforts on WaPOR portal using remote sensing to monitor water productivity, irrigation performance assessment, and water accounting in agriculture across Egypt and the Arab region.
• Wageningen UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in collaborative efforts at Cairo Water Week 2025 to advance water-use efficiency and agricultural resilience through nature-based solutions and technological innovations.
• Digital Earth AfricacoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in the DIWASA initiative providing Earth observation data and platform infrastructure for continent-wide water data products combining satellite imagery, AI, and advanced analytics.
• United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on policy brief on Digital Agriculture and AI for Climate-Resilient Smallholder Farming in Zimbabwe, developed with Zimbabwe's Ministry of Agriculture and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
• Refugee Settings in Ethiopia, Kenya, and UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGender-responsive water investments in refugee settings have improved food security, reduced pressure on natural resources, and strengthened social cohesion in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.
• Northern Ghana Aquaculture StakeholdersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkshop hosted by IWMI in Tamale, Ghana, bringing together 37 stakeholders including policymakers, researchers, fish farmers, and private sector actors to co-design sustainable aquaculture business models for small reservoirs.
• Alliance Bioversity International and CIATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration under CGIAR Scaling for Impact (S4I) program to conduct agribusiness bootcamps in Malawi and Zambia, bringing together 70 agribusinesses to develop investment-ready business models focused on climate resilience, gender inclusion, and digital innovation.
• Zimbabwe GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo-day Science-Policy Dialogue in Harare involving policymakers, scientists, and development partners to discuss climate-resilient agrifood systems and evidence-based solutions for climate adaptation, emphasizing gender equity, indigenous crops, digital innovation, and youth involvement.
• African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional water governance organization partnering with IWMI on water security initiatives across Africa.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGerman development agency partnering on multiple IWMI projects including water data science and climate adaptation initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): FAO is the UN system agency for agriculture, food and natural resource management, including major water programs (WaPOR). It is both an IWMI partner and a broader incumbent shaping global water-for-food policy; it overlaps on irrigation, water accounting and water productivity work but as a much larger intergovernmental body.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): WRI is a large, established global research organization with substantial water (WRI Ross Center), climate and food programs spanning well beyond IWMI's narrower focus. Overlap is significant on water risk, Aqueduct data tools, and policy engagement with governments and multilaterals, but WRI's scope and budget materially exceed IWMI's.
• CGIAR System Organization: CGIAR is the umbrella partnership coordinating IWMI and 12 other research centers across food, land and water systems. It is IWMI's parent system and the channel for donor strategy and funding; both share the same research-for-development mission and donor base.

Direct peers

• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): IFPRI is a fellow CGIAR Research Center delivering policy research on food, agriculture and natural resource systems in developing countries. Both share CGIAR affiliation, a grant-funded research model, multi-country field operations, and a focus on water-food-climate nexus issues — making IFPRI the closest in-form peer.
• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA): IIASA is a non-governmental, inter-disciplinary research institute that applies systems analysis to global environmental and resource challenges including water. Both operate as international, member-funded research organizations building quantitative models and decision-support tools for governments on a non-commercial basis.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): IRRI is another CGIAR Research Center focused on rice-based agri-food systems in Asia and Africa, with deep overlap on irrigation water management for rice cultivation. Both are CGIAR centers working at the food-water nexus in many of the same geographies with similar funder base and delivery models.
• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): SEI is an independent, international research organization working on environment and development issues including water resources, climate adaptation and policy. Both are mission-driven, grant-funded research institutes delivering similar policy-relevant analysis to governments and donors, and SEI shares IWMI's profile of using data-driven tools and Earth observation for environmental decision support.

Regional players

• International Water Association (IWA): IWA is the leading global network of water professionals spanning utilities, academia and industry, with similar convening and knowledge-dissemination functions for the water sector. Both publish, host conferences and shape policy debate, but IWA is membership-driven and association-oriented rather than a research-delivery organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IWMI_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@iwmi
• Facebookfacebook.com/IWMIonFB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iwmi
• Instagraminstagram.com/iwmi_water

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Water Management Institute