As we celebrate World Food Day 2023 on 16 October, it is important to remember that water is the lifeblood of our planet and essential for nourishing our people. In Ghana, we must take urgent action to manage this precious resource wisely, ensuring equal distribution, protecting aquatic ecosystems, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. 

 FAO in Ghana, working together with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), and other partners and stakeholders, must collaborate to transform on the nation's food system and water’s place in it to secure a better future for all. 

Finding solutions   

“We must harness the power of science, innovation, data and technology to produce more with less. To make every drop count, all of us must consume and manage water more efficiently,” said Dr Yurdi Yasmi, FAO Representative in Ghana, at the durbar. “We must transform global agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, to effectively address the water scarcity challenge we are facing.” 

 For its part, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is dedicated to strengthening water sustainability in all its new and existing projects. “We want to assure you that the Ministry, with the support of its development partners and strong collaborative spirit that has characterized development efforts in the agricultural sector, will sustain and harness the resources to achieve sooner than later all the SDG goals for Agriculture,” added the Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture.  

A daunting status quo 

Water makes up more than 50 percent of our bodies and covers 71 percent of the Earth's surface. However, only 2.5 percent of this water is freshwater, which is suitable for consumption, agriculture, and industrial use. Alarmingly, agriculture alone accounts for 72 percent of global freshwater withdrawals.  

Water quality is deteriorating at an alarming rate due to inadequate management practices, pollution, and excessive extraction of groundwater. The impact of climate change is exerting immense pressure on our ecosystems, leading to extreme weather events, drought, and flooding. This, in turn, is having a significant impact on our food security. 

Today, a staggering 2.4 billion people reside in water-stressed countries, and they include smallholder farmers, Indigenous peoples, migrants, and refugees, who face daily challenges to meet their water needs. As competition for this invaluable resource intensifies, water scarcity becomes an escalating source of conflict. 

FAO’s commitment to water management and food security 

FAO is dedicated to collaborating with the Government of Ghana, particularly the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, to furnish the essential data and tools required to safeguard water usage in the country. The organization is working closely with the Ministry to ensure that suitable policies are put in place to ensure that upcoming generations have access to clean, safe, and abundant water resources.  

Individuals, civil society groups, the private sector and more can find out about water actions they can take in this guide. 

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