The State of Land and Water Resources (SOLAW) is FAO's first flagship publication onthe global status of land and water resources. It is an 'advocacy' report, to be published every 3 to 5 years, and targeted at senior level decision makers in agriculture as well as in other sectors. SOLAW is aimed at sensitizing its target audience on the status of land resources at global and regional levels and FAO's viewpoint on appropriate recommendations for policy formulation. SOLAW focuses on these key dimensions of analysis: (i) quantity, quality of land and water resources (ii) the rate of use and sustainable management of these resources in the context of relevant socio-economic driving factors and concerns, including food security and poverty, and climate change.

In this issue, we look at a new publication entitled “Payments for ecosystem services and food security”. This document was produced as part of preparatory process for FAO’s participation in the Rio+20 event to be held in 2012. We also look ahead to World Water Week to be held 21-27 August in Stockholm, Sweden, where FAO will participate in a seminar anticipating the theme of 2012’s World Water Day – Water and Food Security. Finally, with the Thirteenth Regular Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture held at FAO Headquarters in July, we introduce some of the key areas where preserving biodiversity is essential to achieving food security.