The Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture, adopted during FAO’s 2024 World Food Forum, addresses water scarcity challenges worsened by climate change. It emphasizes sustainable water use, climate resilience, and supporting family farming. The initiative builds on global efforts like WASAG and aims to improve rural livelihoods through investments and policy support.
Key Event: Adoption of Rome Declaration:
- Date: October 17, 2024
- Location: FAO’s High-Level Rome Water Dialogue, part of the World Food Forum (October 14-18)
- Purpose: Addressing worsening water scarcity in agriculture due to climate change
Understanding Water Scarcity
- Definition: Insufficient water resources to meet usage demands
- Agriculture’s Role:
- Consumes over 70% of global freshwater withdrawals
- UN Prediction: By 2050, over half the global population will experience water scarcity for at least one month annually
WASAG Initiative
- Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG):
- Launched: 2016 UN Climate Conference, Marrakesh
- Objectives: Assist countries in managing water scarcity challenges through collaboration among governments, NGOs, and private sector
Commitments in the Rome Declaration
- Enhance political support for water scarcity management
- Develop policies, legal frameworks, and improve financial access
- Mitigate climate change impacts (floods, droughts) on food security
Family Farming’s Importance
- Accounts for over 90% of farms globally, producing 70-80% of the world’s food
- Key contributions:
- Food security support
- Crop biodiversity management
- Responsible natural resource management
- Challenges:
- Limited access to resources, markets, and services
- Vulnerable livelihoods during crises
United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF)
- Timeframe: 2019-2028
- Purpose: Global support for family farming
- Midpoint: Marked in 2024
- UN Adoption: Unanimous backing from 104 countries in 2017
Reference: D2E
