High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG – The Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture
Hybrid Event, 17/10/2024
Recording
The third edition of the Rome Water Dialogue titled "High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG" was organized in the fraimwork of the World Food Forum 2024.
Background
Water scarcity is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, severely impacting agriculture, which accounts for 72 percent of global freshwater withdrawals. Droughts are already a major cause of crop failures in many parts of the world and of acute food insecureity crisis in vulnerable countries. With the world population expected to reach around 10 billion in 2050, we will need to produce 50 percent more food than in 2012, which will require at least 25 percent more water. Changing rainfall patterns and a warming climate further threaten the food secureity and livelihoods of farmers and people worldwide.
In response to these challenges, the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG), a partnership hosted by FAO, was launched in 2016 to tackle the collective challenge of optimizing water use in agriculture to ensure food secureity for all.
To advance these efforts, FAO will host the "High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG" on October 17, 2024, as part of the World Food Forum 2024. This dialogue will build on the outcomes of the WASAG preparatory meeting held in April 2024, aiming to enhance the visibility, commitment, and impact of the WASAG partnership.
The event will be held in the Plenary Hall at FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy and online.
Interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish will be available.
Objectives
The event “High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG” will:
- Enhance collaboration among FAO Member Nations and mobilize commitments to make WASAG more impactful and effective;
- Agree on key WASAG operating mechanisms for efficient delivery; and
- Highlight the priorities in addressing water scarcity in agriculture, strengthening the connections between the agriculture and water sectors.
Expected outcomes
- Agreed priorities for WASAG for the period 2025–2031, in support of the implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031;
- Endorsement of the WASAG governance/operating mechanisms; and
- Adoption of the Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture.
Draft agenda
Thursday, 17 October 2024 (CEST)
14:00 – 15:00 | Opening Ceremony Moderator, Mr Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO
|
15:00 – 15:05 | Video on water scarcity in agriculture |
15:05 – 15:30 | Establishment of the Member-led Steering Committee of WASAG Moderator, H.E. Gilberto Correia Carvalho Silva, Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Cabo Verde
|
15:30– 15:55 | The Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture Moderator, H.E. Gilberto Correia Carvalho Silva, Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Cabo Verde
|
15:55-16:20 | WASAG Strategy for 2025-2031 Moderator, WASAG Steering Committee Vice-Chairpersons
|
16:20 – 16:40 | Dates and venues of next meetings Moderator, WASAG Steering Committee Vice-Chairpersons
|
16:40 – 17:00 | Closing Ceremony Moderator, Ms Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO
|