his paper summarizes the main themes and recommendations of the document Regional Water Scarcity Initiative: Towards a Collaborative Strategy prepared as part of FAO’s ‘Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity’ in Near East and North Africa (NENA). The Regional Collaborative Strategy will complement and complete existing initiatives, will seek structured mechanisms to address water scarcity beyond the national level and will provide an agricultural water lens to the ‘Arab Water Security Strategy’ (2010-30). After discussing the challenges and responses for a sustainable water resources management and related food security in NENA, the document puts forward an agenda for a comprehensive reform, including a number of options, and indicates innovative implementation modalities, including: evidence-based decision-making processes through benchmarking, monitoring, evaluation and reporting; sound governance and institutions, including decentralization of agriculture water management and empowerment of farmers and farmers groups as full partners, food producers and ultimate managers of soil and water resources; synergies in innovation and learning based on exchange of solutions amongst practitioners within and outside the Region; and all-inclusive multistakeholder approach to changes. The collaborative regional strategy will be implanted through regional and national action plans, supported by FAO and Partners.