Outcomes of the High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG – The Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture 17 October 2024
The High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG – The Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture was held on 17 October 2024, during the World Food Forum. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the event brought together around 400 participants, both in person and virtually, including 47 Member Nations represented by Ministers, Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives and other senior officials, and several WASAG partners.
In his opening remarks, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu reaffirmed the value of WASAG for FAO’s work since WASAG is an inclusive component of the FAO Water Journey, being one of the eight commitments that FAO made to the Water Action Agenda at the UN Water Conference in New York in March 2023 and part of FAO’s contribution to the UN-wide strategy for water and sanitation.
Member Nations accepted to provide strategic oversight and direction to WASAG: six of the seven Regional Groups nominated Members of the new Steering Committee of WASAG with H.E. José Ulisses de Pina Correia e Silva, Prime Minister of Cabo Verde as the Chair, and H.E. Meike van Ginneken, the Special Water Envoy of the Netherlands as the Vice-Chair. A second Vice-Chair will be designated at a later stage.
The Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity on Agriculture was adopted by Members and partners by acclamation. The declaration highlights the urgency to address water scarcity and water stress in particular in agricultural and food sectors, while committing to strengthening collaboration at all levels and mobilizing greater political support and resources to address the effects of water scarcity on global food security. A new WASAG Strategy is also being developed and will be adopted in 2025 by the Steering Committee.
Members and partners agreed that FAO will convene a WASAG Plenary Assembly every second year in its headquarters in Rome, starting from 2026. They also agreed that a FAO Member Nation will host every second year a WASAG International Forum – preferably on a rotating basis among regions – for WASAG partners to share experiences and advance the knowledge base. The next forum will be in 2025. The new Technical Advisory committee will oversee the technical preparation of the International WASAG forum together with the working groups and task forces.
In his final address, FAO Director-General expressed his gratitude to all WASAG partners for their dedication and engagement, emphasizing the importance of their contributions in making WASAG a more strategic and inclusive partnership. He praised the collective efforts to transform WASAG into a country-led initiative, capable of addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time — water scarcity in agriculture.
The High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG marks a significant step forward in global efforts to address water scarcity, which is increasingly recognized as a key factor influencing food security and agricultural sustainability.