26.11.2020
3:00 pm
CET

Launch of The State of Food and Agriculture 2020

Published By:
Hosted by:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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ABOUT THE WEBINAR
The State of Food and Agriculture, one of FAO's major annual flagship publications, aims at bringing to a wider audience balanced science-based assessments of important issues in the field of food and agriculture. Each edition of the report contains a comprehensive, yet easily accessible, overview of a selected topic of major relevance for rural and agriculture development and for global food security.

Intensifying water constraints threaten food security and nutrition. Thus, urgent action is needed to make water use in agriculture more sustainable and equitable. Irrigated agriculture remains by far the largest user of freshwater, but scarcity of freshwater is a growing problem owing to increasing demand and competition for freshwater resources. At the same time, rainfed agriculture is facing increasing precipitation variability driven by climate change. These trends will exacerbate disputes among water users and inequality in access to water, especially for small-scale farmers, the rural poor and other vulnerable populations.

The State of Food and Agriculture 2020 (SOFA 2020) presents new estimates on the pervasiveness of water scarcity in irrigated agriculture and of water shortages in rainfed agriculture, as well as on the number of people affected. It finds major differences across countries, and also substantial spatial variation within countries. This evidence informs a discussion of how countries may determine appropriate policies and interventions, depending on the nature and magnitude of the problem, but also on other factors such as the type of agricultural production system and countries’ level of development and their political structures. Based on this, the publication provides guidance on how countries can prioritize policies and interventions to overcome water constraints in agriculture, while ensuring efficient, sustainable and equitable access to water.

Visit FAO’s page for more information about SOFA.

COVER IMAGE CREDIT:
Mustapha1992
Focus Region:
Global
Focus Topic:
Agricultural Value Chains / Agri-Businesses
Nutrition / Food Systems
Land / Water / Resource Management
Climate / Weather / Environment
Market / Trade