FAO intervention at HLPF 2023 side event – Global water information for improved policy and decision-making - HydroSOS implementation

I am pleased to be here representing FAO on behalf of the Deputy Director of FAO’s Land and Water Division.

Let me please start with saying that indeed water data plays a crucial role in ensuring both water and food security, and it is indispensable for informed decision-making and sustainable resource management.

We know that Agricultural activities already account for around 70% of freshwater withdrawals in the world today and water scarcity is one of the leading challenges for sustainable development.

Now, as the global population continues to grow, the demand for water and food will escalate, making it even more important to understand and monitor water resources comprehensively.

FAO is the custodian agency for 21 SDG Indicators, including Target 6.4 – Water use and Scarcity – and an active implementer of the Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6 coordinated by UN-Water.

Let me please now briefly present some of the most important FAO databases that support global water information monitoring and hydrological status assessments and the integration of these into policy and decision-making.

AQUASTAT and AQUAMAPS

FAO’s water data and information database– the AQUASTAT – is the Global Information System on Water and Agriculture

It is an important tool in supporting Members in reducing water stress and increasing water use efficiency, which are two core areas of Target 6.4.

Since 1994 AQUASTAT has been instrumental at global and national levels in providing comprehensive, up-to-date, and reliable data on water resources, because with the help of AQUASTAT we can better understand the distribution, availability, and utilization of water in agriculture worldwide.

AQUASTAT was born as a statistical web portal, but today it also contains GeoSpatial and policy relevant data, for example on water legislation and institutions.

This geospatial water database is called AQUAMAPS. AQUAMAPS includes WaPOR

WaPOR

FAO has developed another database, known as WaPOR – Water Productivity through Open Access of Remotely sensed derived data – It is publicly accessible near real time database using satellite data that allows the monitoring of agricultural water productivity.

WaPOR provides data on evapotranspiration and biomass production, which is updated every 10 days. The metric offers an accurate assessment of how much water a crop consumes during a given period, such as a growing season, which, when related to the biomass and harvestable crop yield, offers a way to measure the water productivity.

As such it can help farmers achieve higher, more reliable agricultural yields, by allowing for the optimization of irrigation systems.

Currently, WaPOR data is being used in Mali and Burkina Faso, in combination with local data to assist transhumant herders in assessing animal feed production.

SOLAWISE

There are also plans to pull all FAO water related databases into a new initiative called Solawise, which stands for Soil, Land, and Water Information System to provide data and information on crop level to support countries in agricultural policies and improved agricultural management. 

Global Water Portal

Finally, as we move forward, it has become evident that the challenges posed by water scarcity, pollution, and inefficient water management require a more collaborative and comprehensive approach.

Therefore, FAO is pleased to announce a new water data platform initiative, the Global Water Portal.

This joint initiative, by FAO and WMO, in the framework of the Water and Climate Coalition led by WMO, will provide a geospatial platform providing unified access for all UN and other relevant water data holders.

The potential applications of the Global Water Portal are several.

It will provide ‘early warning systems’ for regions facing water stress, helping to take proactive measures to avert crises

It will facilitate the identification of pollution hotspots, enabling targeted interventions to preserve water quality and ecosystem health.

It will provide farmers and irrigation managers with real-time information on water productivity in agriculture.

In conclusion, the global water situation demands our urgent attention and concerted efforts. So by leveraging the power of water information systems, we can bridge the gap between information and action, leading us toward improved policy and decision-making.