Figure: FAO Director-General QU Dongyu address delegates during the official opening of Regional Workshop on National Water Roadmaps hosted by Zimbabwe. ©FAO

FAO News; 22/02/2023

Harare- “We clearly need to rethink how we use the water we have in a sustainable and equitable way – with innovations in agriculture being at the forefront”, the Director-General of the Food of Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, told African leaders and experts during the high-level opening of the first FAO regional workshop on National Water Roadmaps in Zimbabwe.

Qu explained that the National Water Roadmaps – strategies that will help to strengthen water resources management— are an important tool to address the growing challenges around water, helping to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The first FAO regional workshop, held in-person in Harare and virtually, aims to inform African countries about the overall role of water in sustainable development and to provide a platform for governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and academia to discuss and develop country-specific water plans.

The importance of taking care of water resources

The FAO Director-General reminded participants that water is one of the world’s most precious resources and it is central to achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Because water is food, and food is water, food is life... Over 95% of the food we eat is produced on land, from soil and water”, he underscored. “Yet we are facing severe water challenges: droughts and water scarcity, floods and pollution”, he warned.

Indeed, the climate crisis is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, which has an impact on food production.

In Africa, 289 million people— 21% of the population— still suffer from hunger or food insecurity, and more than 300 million in the continent live in areas affected by low and irregular rainfall, resulting in droughts and water scarcity.

“These extremes – of too much or too little water – impact farmers, crop production, livestock, food security, economies and livelihoods”, Qu emphasized.

The solutions

The Director-General, underlining that Agriculture is responsible for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, told the workshop that it is crucial to increase water productivity with innovations in the sector being at the forefront.

“More crop per drop”, he explained, adding that it is also necessary to cut greenhouse emissions from agriculture through the sustainable management of soils, to prevent further disruption to the water and climate cycle.

He also invited African countries to look at “the big picture” of integrated water resources management to deal with increasing competition and trade-offs between sectors, and increasingly work in partnerships.

“Integrated water-related strategies and policies, with concrete actions and strong political will, are crucial to managing water across sectors in a holistic and efficient way”, the FAO Director-General underscored.

See https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/african-leaders-meet-in-zimbabwe-for-first-fao-regional-workshop-on-national-water-roadmaps/en