FAO Welcomes the Adoption of the Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture

FAO welcomed today the adoption of the Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture aimed at addressing water scarcity increasingly exacerbated by the climate crisis – one of the world’s greatest challenges affecting global food security, natural resources and the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, particularly in vulnerable regions.

The Declaration was adopted by Ministers, Heads of Delegations and partners of the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG) gathered in Rome on occasion of the High-Level Rome Water Dialogue, taking place on the sidelines of FAO’s annual World Food Forum. The WASAG initiative was launched at the United Nations Climate Conference in Marrakesh in 2016 to support countries in addressing water scarcity challenges.

The Declaration highlights the urgency to address water scarcity and water stress, in particular, in the agriculture and food sectors; and it commits to strengthening collaboration at all levels and mobilizing greater political support and resources to address the effects of water scarcity on global food security. It also recognizes FAO’s key role in continuing to lead and host WASAG and in providing day-to-day support for its effective functioning and operational management.

In his address to the High-Level Dialogue, the FAO Director-General QU Dongyu underscored that agriculture – which uses over 70 percent of freshwater withdrawals – is particularly vulnerable to water scarcity. He also noted that the impacts of the climate crisis, such as changing rainfall patterns, record-setting heat waves, and more frequent and longer droughts, further exacerbate the situation.

The Director-General cited the grim projections that by 2050, more than half the global population will live in areas at risk of water scarcity at least one month a year.

“The solutions we develop must reflect the interconnected nature of water security, agrifood systems and climate resilience,” Qu said, stressing that addressing water scarcity is critical for building more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable agrifood systems.

To this end, he emphasized the urgent need for strong political will, innovative solutions, enhanced financing, and immediate action to manage freshwater in an integrated manner which is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In his closing remarks, the Director-General thanked all the partners of WASAG for their dedication and engagement “to help drive this initiative to be more strategic, inclusive and a true country-led partnership”.