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The Rome Water Dialogue 2025 has highlighted the urgent need for smarter water management to secure global food supplies.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu delivering his opening remarks at the Rome Water Dialogue 2025.
Photo: © FAO/Pier Paolo Cito
Water security as a foundation for global food security
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum experts met at the Rome Water Dialogue in the Italian capital in October 2025 to advance collective action on sustainable water management for resilient agriculture and food security.
“The food we eat depends on water, and agriculture alone uses more than 70 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals,” said QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in his opening remarks, underlining the centrality of water to FAO’s mandate and to global food security.
The Dialogue was held under the theme Water for resilient agriculture and food security: the past, present and future and aimed to transform awareness into concrete action to address global water challenges across agrifood systems. It covered four main themes:
- water infrastructure and investment
- water science and innovation
- climate resilience
- water-disaster risk reduction
Growing demand for fresh water
The Director-General warned that feeding a growing global population would further intensify demands on water resources. By 2050, feeding nearly 10 billion people would require at least 50 per cent more food – and potentially 30 per cent more freshwater – in a world already facing scarcity and climate stress. To produce more with less water, efficient infrastructure, reliable data and integrated approaches were needed, Qu added.
The Dialogue spotlighted water management practices that FAO Members have implemented over the last 80 years, ranging from community-level approaches to high-level strategies.
Participants also discussed recommendations to guide FAO’s future work on integrated water resource management and encouraged commitments by stakeholders across the water and agriculture sectors.
Renewed partnership to build resilience to drought
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum, FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) renewed the partnership to strengthen cooperation on sustainable land, soil and water management.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in Rome by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad, establishes a joint framework to avoid, reduce and reverse land and soil degradation, enhance drought resilience and promote integrated solutions linking land restoration, agrifood systems transformation and climate action.
The partnership will be implemented through a Joint FAO–UNCCD Action Plan that focuses on three key areas:
- supporting policy dialogue and capacity development to combat land degradation
- building drought resilience
- promoting data-driven approaches and knowledge sharing
Ines Lechner, Rural 21
Find additional information on the Rome Water Dialogue 2025 on the FAO website
Previous article
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu delivering his opening remarks at the Rome Water Dialogue 2025.
Photo: © FAO/Pier Paolo Cito
Water security as a foundation for global food security
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum experts met at the Rome Water Dialogue in the Italian capital in October 2025 to advance collective action on sustainable water management for resilient agriculture and food security.
“The food we eat depends on water, and agriculture alone uses more than 70 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals,” said QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in his opening remarks, underlining the centrality of water to FAO’s mandate and to global food security.
The Dialogue was held under the theme Water for resilient agriculture and food security: the past, present and future and aimed to transform awareness into concrete action to address global water challenges across agrifood systems. It covered four main themes:
- water infrastructure and investment
- water science and innovation
- climate resilience
- water-disaster risk reduction
Growing demand for fresh water
The Director-General warned that feeding a growing global population would further intensify demands on water resources. By 2050, feeding nearly 10 billion people would require at least 50 per cent more food – and potentially 30 per cent more freshwater – in a world already facing scarcity and climate stress. To produce more with less water, efficient infrastructure, reliable data and integrated approaches were needed, Qu added.
The Dialogue spotlighted water management practices that FAO Members have implemented over the last 80 years, ranging from community-level approaches to high-level strategies.
Participants also discussed recommendations to guide FAO’s future work on integrated water resource management and encouraged commitments by stakeholders across the water and agriculture sectors.
Renewed partnership to build resilience to drought
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum, FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) renewed the partnership to strengthen cooperation on sustainable land, soil and water management.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in Rome by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad, establishes a joint framework to avoid, reduce and reverse land and soil degradation, enhance drought resilience and promote integrated solutions linking land restoration, agrifood systems transformation and climate action.
The partnership will be implemented through a Joint FAO–UNCCD Action Plan that focuses on three key areas:
- supporting policy dialogue and capacity development to combat land degradation
- building drought resilience
- promoting data-driven approaches and knowledge sharing
Ines Lechner, Rural 21
Find additional information on the Rome Water Dialogue 2025 on the FAO website
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu delivering his opening remarks at the Rome Water Dialogue 2025.
Photo: © FAO/Pier Paolo Cito
Water security as a foundation for global food security
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum experts met at the Rome Water Dialogue in the Italian capital in October 2025 to advance collective action on sustainable water management for resilient agriculture and food security.
“The food we eat depends on water, and agriculture alone uses more than 70 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals,” said QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in his opening remarks, underlining the centrality of water to FAO’s mandate and to global food security.
The Dialogue was held under the theme Water for resilient agriculture and food security: the past, present and future and aimed to transform awareness into concrete action to address global water challenges across agrifood systems. It covered four main themes:
- water infrastructure and investment
- water science and innovation
- climate resilience
- water-disaster risk reduction
Growing demand for fresh water
The Director-General warned that feeding a growing global population would further intensify demands on water resources. By 2050, feeding nearly 10 billion people would require at least 50 per cent more food – and potentially 30 per cent more freshwater – in a world already facing scarcity and climate stress. To produce more with less water, efficient infrastructure, reliable data and integrated approaches were needed, Qu added.
The Dialogue spotlighted water management practices that FAO Members have implemented over the last 80 years, ranging from community-level approaches to high-level strategies.
Participants also discussed recommendations to guide FAO’s future work on integrated water resource management and encouraged commitments by stakeholders across the water and agriculture sectors.
Renewed partnership to build resilience to drought
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum, FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) renewed the partnership to strengthen cooperation on sustainable land, soil and water management.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in Rome by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad, establishes a joint framework to avoid, reduce and reverse land and soil degradation, enhance drought resilience and promote integrated solutions linking land restoration, agrifood systems transformation and climate action.
The partnership will be implemented through a Joint FAO–UNCCD Action Plan that focuses on three key areas:
- supporting policy dialogue and capacity development to combat land degradation
- building drought resilience
- promoting data-driven approaches and knowledge sharing
Ines Lechner, Rural 21
Find additional information on the Rome Water Dialogue 2025 on the FAO website
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu delivering his opening remarks at the Rome Water Dialogue 2025.
Photo: © FAO/Pier Paolo Cito
Water security as a foundation for global food security
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum experts met at the Rome Water Dialogue in the Italian capital in October 2025 to advance collective action on sustainable water management for resilient agriculture and food security.
“The food we eat depends on water, and agriculture alone uses more than 70 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals,” said QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in his opening remarks, underlining the centrality of water to FAO’s mandate and to global food security.
The Dialogue was held under the theme Water for resilient agriculture and food security: the past, present and future and aimed to transform awareness into concrete action to address global water challenges across agrifood systems. It covered four main themes:
- water infrastructure and investment
- water science and innovation
- climate resilience
- water-disaster risk reduction
Growing demand for fresh water
The Director-General warned that feeding a growing global population would further intensify demands on water resources. By 2050, feeding nearly 10 billion people would require at least 50 per cent more food – and potentially 30 per cent more freshwater – in a world already facing scarcity and climate stress. To produce more with less water, efficient infrastructure, reliable data and integrated approaches were needed, Qu added.
The Dialogue spotlighted water management practices that FAO Members have implemented over the last 80 years, ranging from community-level approaches to high-level strategies.
Participants also discussed recommendations to guide FAO’s future work on integrated water resource management and encouraged commitments by stakeholders across the water and agriculture sectors.
Renewed partnership to build resilience to drought
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum, FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) renewed the partnership to strengthen cooperation on sustainable land, soil and water management.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in Rome by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad, establishes a joint framework to avoid, reduce and reverse land and soil degradation, enhance drought resilience and promote integrated solutions linking land restoration, agrifood systems transformation and climate action.
The partnership will be implemented through a Joint FAO–UNCCD Action Plan that focuses on three key areas:
- supporting policy dialogue and capacity development to combat land degradation
- building drought resilience
- promoting data-driven approaches and knowledge sharing
Ines Lechner, Rural 21
Find additional information on the Rome Water Dialogue 2025 on the FAO website
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu delivering his opening remarks at the Rome Water Dialogue 2025.
Photo: © FAO/Pier Paolo Cito
Water security as a foundation for global food security
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum experts met at the Rome Water Dialogue in the Italian capital in October 2025 to advance collective action on sustainable water management for resilient agriculture and food security.
“The food we eat depends on water, and agriculture alone uses more than 70 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals,” said QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in his opening remarks, underlining the centrality of water to FAO’s mandate and to global food security.
The Dialogue was held under the theme Water for resilient agriculture and food security: the past, present and future and aimed to transform awareness into concrete action to address global water challenges across agrifood systems. It covered four main themes:
- water infrastructure and investment
- water science and innovation
- climate resilience
- water-disaster risk reduction
Growing demand for fresh water
The Director-General warned that feeding a growing global population would further intensify demands on water resources. By 2050, feeding nearly 10 billion people would require at least 50 per cent more food – and potentially 30 per cent more freshwater – in a world already facing scarcity and climate stress. To produce more with less water, efficient infrastructure, reliable data and integrated approaches were needed, Qu added.
The Dialogue spotlighted water management practices that FAO Members have implemented over the last 80 years, ranging from community-level approaches to high-level strategies.
Participants also discussed recommendations to guide FAO’s future work on integrated water resource management and encouraged commitments by stakeholders across the water and agriculture sectors.
Renewed partnership to build resilience to drought
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum, FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) renewed the partnership to strengthen cooperation on sustainable land, soil and water management.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in Rome by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad, establishes a joint framework to avoid, reduce and reverse land and soil degradation, enhance drought resilience and promote integrated solutions linking land restoration, agrifood systems transformation and climate action.
The partnership will be implemented through a Joint FAO–UNCCD Action Plan that focuses on three key areas:
- supporting policy dialogue and capacity development to combat land degradation
- building drought resilience
- promoting data-driven approaches and knowledge sharing
Ines Lechner, Rural 21
Find additional information on the Rome Water Dialogue 2025 on the FAO website
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu delivering his opening remarks at the Rome Water Dialogue 2025.
Photo: © FAO/Pier Paolo Cito
Water security as a foundation for global food security
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum experts met at the Rome Water Dialogue in the Italian capital in October 2025 to advance collective action on sustainable water management for resilient agriculture and food security.
“The food we eat depends on water, and agriculture alone uses more than 70 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals,” said QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in his opening remarks, underlining the centrality of water to FAO’s mandate and to global food security.
The Dialogue was held under the theme Water for resilient agriculture and food security: the past, present and future and aimed to transform awareness into concrete action to address global water challenges across agrifood systems. It covered four main themes:
- water infrastructure and investment
- water science and innovation
- climate resilience
- water-disaster risk reduction
Growing demand for fresh water
The Director-General warned that feeding a growing global population would further intensify demands on water resources. By 2050, feeding nearly 10 billion people would require at least 50 per cent more food – and potentially 30 per cent more freshwater – in a world already facing scarcity and climate stress. To produce more with less water, efficient infrastructure, reliable data and integrated approaches were needed, Qu added.
The Dialogue spotlighted water management practices that FAO Members have implemented over the last 80 years, ranging from community-level approaches to high-level strategies.
Participants also discussed recommendations to guide FAO’s future work on integrated water resource management and encouraged commitments by stakeholders across the water and agriculture sectors.
Renewed partnership to build resilience to drought
On the sidelines of the World Food Forum, FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) renewed the partnership to strengthen cooperation on sustainable land, soil and water management.
The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in Rome by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad, establishes a joint framework to avoid, reduce and reverse land and soil degradation, enhance drought resilience and promote integrated solutions linking land restoration, agrifood systems transformation and climate action.
The partnership will be implemented through a Joint FAO–UNCCD Action Plan that focuses on three key areas:
- supporting policy dialogue and capacity development to combat land degradation
- building drought resilience
- promoting data-driven approaches and knowledge sharing
Ines Lechner, Rural 21
Find additional information on the Rome Water Dialogue 2025 on the FAO website
