There is no question that food systems need to change. For the past six decades, the global food systems have evolved to meet the needs of a changing world. This has come at a cost to our biodiversity, water resources and soil health. There are additional challenges ahead, including continued population increase, economic growth, climate change and degradation of resources — including water. By 2050, it is anticipated that more than half of the global population (around five billion people) will live in water-stressed regions of the world, many of which need to secure more nutritious food.
Reliable water resources and its improved management underpin our food systems, both in terms of the water needed to produce crops and livestock products, and ensuring the resilience of these systems to water-related shocks. Water insecurity is the greatest threat to global food security.
The United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) is to be held in New York in September 2021. The summit is the culmination of a bold new effort to transform our global food systems to be healthier, more equitable and more sustainable. An important expectation from the summit is to highlight solutions and innovations, and to engage producers, communities, civil society, governments and the private sector, who will drive and scale actions to achieve impact.
Bringing their unique perspective on the interconnectedness between food systems and water, each panelist will reflect on the relevant outcomes from the UNFSS summit, particularly those related to water for food. They will consider the opportunities and challenges to ensure that decisions on agriculture and food systems also consider the consequences on water.
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