We must not take water for granted

Introduction

This report highlights the importance of water resources in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the need to protect these resources from pollution and the impacts of the climate crisis. It emphasizes the urgent action required to ensure equal access to water and sustainable agricultural practices.

The Significance of Water

Water is a vital resource for life on Earth. It covers over 50 percent of our bodies, supports livelihoods, and plays a central role in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Therefore, it is crucial to address the complex challenge of protecting freshwater resources and aquatic food systems.

The Role of Agriculture

Agriculture accounts for about 70 percent of all freshwater usage. Changing the way we produce food, fiber, and other agricultural products is essential to ensure sustainable water management. Failure to act in this regard will have severe consequences.

The Threat to Freshwater Resources

Over the past two decades, each person on Earth has lost approximately one-fifth of the available freshwater. In some regions, this loss is even higher, reaching up to one-third. Without urgent action, global water usage is projected to increase by more than a third by 2050, putting us at a point of no return.

Challenges and Impacts

Rapid population growth, urbanization, industrialization, economic development, and the climate crisis have all contributed to the depletion of water resources. Combined with pollution, over-extraction, and lack of coordinated management, these factors create overlapping challenges. Extreme weather events, droughts, and flooding further stress ecosystems and pose threats to global food security. Vulnerable groups such as smallholder farmers, women, youth, Indigenous peoples, migrants, and refugees are particularly affected.

Addressing the Challenge

To address these challenges, it is crucial to secure sufficient water for agriculture while balancing the competing water needs of other economic activities, especially in urban areas. Good governance plays a vital role in ensuring sustainable and equitable water allocation through integrated and inclusive approaches. This includes water governance and tenure, water pricing, regulations, and incentive measures to drive change and ensure access to clean and safe water resources.

Integrated water resources management is essential for maximizing human well-being without compromising vital ecosystems. This requires national and regional designs. Investment in innovative and efficient water management practices, such as modern irrigation and storage technologies, is crucial to address water scarcity and flooding. By managing the water-food-energy nexus effectively, we can build a water-saving and resilient society.

Action on the Ground

Efforts are already underway to address these challenges. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is providing mechanization opportunities to farmers in the Sahel region to improve their water infrastructure. FAO is also developing a global irrigation needs and potential mapping methodology to tap into the untapped potential of irrigated land, which currently produces 40 percent of food from only 20 percent of arable land.

Appropriate financing mechanisms and investments are crucial for building and maintaining capital-intensive infrastructure. Resilience-based solutions, such as prioritizing green and blue infrastructure for agriculture and fisheries, can enhance water quality, maintain biodiversity, and provide other benefits to agrifood systems and rural areas. For instance, FAO is piloting multifunctional paddy fields in Sri Lanka and Zambia, which recharge groundwater, control floods, and provide ecosystem services.

Collaboration of All Actors

To achieve sustainable water management, all actors must work together and contribute their distinct yet interrelated efforts. Governments need to design evidence-based policies that capitalize on data and innovation and coordinate across sectors. Farmers, forest-dependent communities, livestock producers, and those in the blue economy should be empowered to become agents of water management. Businesses must commit to improving water use efficiency and reducing pollution across the supply chain. Making informed decisions about water consumption and preventing flooding disasters and pollution are responsibilities that everyone shares.

Conclusion

Water is a precious resource that must not be taken for granted. By implementing sustainable practices and making conscious choices, we can contribute to a future of prosperity for people and the planet. This aligns with the Four Betters advocated by FAO: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life. Achieving these goals requires collective action and a commitment to leaving no one behind.

Dr. Qu Dongyu is the director-general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.