Pressure on water resources rising

The climate crisis, population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and social-economic development are placing increasing pressure on water resources.This is according to Qingyun Diao, the Food and Agriculture Organisation representative in Namibia. He spoke at the recently held commemoration of World Food Day at Kayova village in the Kavango Region, which was celebrated under the theme &#039;Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind&#039;."Today, more than one-third of the world’s population is still living without access to safe water.”Freshwater access Diao said the situation is compounded by the increase in extreme weather events, drought and flooding, which are stressing ecosystems and have daunting consequences for global food security.She said agriculture is the largest consumer of the world’s freshwater resources – accounting for 70% of consumption, and global agri-food systems must be transformed to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable to effectively address the water scarcity challenge we are facing.“Over the last two decades, each of us on earth has lost approximately one-fifth of the freshwater available to us.“Unless we act urgently, we are on course to increase our water use by more than a third by 2050 globally, given our planet’s growing population. That means, collectively, we risk reaching a point of no return.”Governance mattersShe said water scarcity is a global challenge that needs a global response.“At the heart of the balancing act to address these combined challenges must be securing sufficient water for agriculture while reconciling the competing water needs of other economic activities, especially as urbanisation accelerates.”Diao said good governance is crucial for sustainable and equitable water allocation through an integrated and inclusive approach with all partners.According to her, water governance and tenure, water pricing, regulations, and incentive measures are needed to drive change and ensure equitable access to clean and safe water resources.“Equally, we need to implement integrated water resources management through coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources to maximise human well-being without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.”Boost water security She said as a water-stressed country, Namibia experienced a severe drought from 2018 to 2019, which devastated many parts of the country and placed thousands of people&#039;s lives and livelihoods at risk.Despite receiving better rainfall this past rainy season, Namibia still faces the daunting task of fully recuperating from the effects of the drought.She said that FAO is committed to supporting Namibia in its efforts to improve water security.“We are currently working with government and other stakeholders to implement several climate adaptation and resilience building projects.”These include providing smallholder farmers with the training and resources they need to adopt water-efficient agricultural practices and promoting climate-smart agriculture.

Pressure on water resources rising

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Republikein 2025-05-01

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