Water data and resource assessment
Reliable data on water resources are essential to support informed decision‑making in agrifood systems. In a context of increasing water scarcity, climate change and growing demand across sectors, understanding the status, trends and use of water resources requires robust, consistent and accessible data and information systems.
Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO’s mandate. To support this mandate, Article 1 of the FAO Constitution requires the Organization to “collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information related to nutrition, food and agriculture”. Information on land, soil and water is a key enabler of agrifood systems transformation.
The FAO Conceptual Framework for Integrated Land and Water Resources Management supports this view. Outcome 5 of the Framework emphasizes the importance of developing, strengthening and integrating data systems to support evidence‑based governance and planning. It highlights the need to collect, analyse, harmonize, interpret and disseminate data and information on land, soil and water resources, including their status, trends, pressures and drivers, as well as policy and technical responses.
Actions such as developing integrated information systems, promoting the use of geospatial applications and innovative technologies, and improving access to data for decision‑makers and stakeholders, support the generation of timely and relevant information that can be used at local, national and global levels to guide planning, investment and policy development.
By strengthening capacities for data collection, analysis and use, and by promoting coherent and integrated information systems, FAO supports countries in building transparent, evidence‑based water governance systems. This contributes to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, in line with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda.
FAO’s work on water data and resource assessment
Water accounting
Methodologies and tools that enable the assessment of water availability, use and allocation, along with analysis in relation to governance, institutions and economic frameworks, supporting informed water resources management.
AQUASTAT
AQUASTAT is FAO’s global water information system, known to be the most quoted source on global water statistics. It collects, analyses and disseminates data and information by country, by region and for the world. Click here to learn more.
Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6 at FAO
An interagency initiative coordinated by UN‑Water, in which FAO contributes to monitoring water‑related SDG indicators, particularly Indicator 6.4.1 (Water use efficiency) and Indicator 6.4.2 (Water stress), and supports countries in strengthening their data and reporting capacities.
WaPOR
WaPOR is a publicly accessible, near real-time database using satellite data that allows the monitoring of agricultural water productivity at different scales. Click here to learn more.
Publications
Water accounting
Methodologies and tools that enable the assessment of water availability, use and allocation, along with analysis in relation to governance, institutions and economic frameworks, supporting informed water resources management.