Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Ecumenical Water Network[i]

Comment to the HLPE-consultation on the scope of the CFS report on Water and Food Security

Even though the scope of the study is quite comprehensive, we found few gaps that the study needs to cover or strengthen.  Therefore, here are some of the relevant, additional questions that we  recommend to take into account:

1) Holistic Human Rights Approach

·         We highly recommend a human right approach to be maintained throughout the study. Which means a thorough analysis of the haves and have not’s with regards to the food and water.  , who is benefited  by certain policies, or hit by it.  Given the fact that the access to safe drinking water  and sanitation is recognized as a human right by the UN, it is all the more important to bring in the human rights dimension to the discussion.

2) Nexus between safe drinking water and nutrition

·         Even a well-balanced diet with enough calories and good composition of nutrients, will not help, if you do not consume safe drinking water. The nutritious food will not be effective. This is why it’s not enough to call for improved drinking water sources   alone, as they are defined now by the current form of the MDGs  (by taking into account the “connected” water supply, for instance,  irrespective of the quality of water).  Therefore, quality  and quantity both are important,

3) Water intensive agricultural food production models 

·         Even though this aspect is being flagged, it needs more strengthening. The increase demand on food production is water intensive which  that uses increasing amount of water for irrigation – often     detrimental  to already lack of water availability.  An effective water management , particularly with regards to agriculture  through Agroecology models is the way to go. 

4) The Pollution of Water and land : Urban –rural divide

·         Water is being polluted by agricultural production (e.g.,  wide use of antibiotic in shrimp farming and  rampant use of  pesticides and fertilizer in agriculture ) affecting water and soil  rendering adverse effect on  the fertility of the land and can affect  future production. Management needs to take sewage treatment into account. Water / land rights need to include user obligations in contributing to safeguarding and preserving the quality of the water and land

·         The Urban poor, who are forced to migrate from rural areas, in the name of urbanization, driven by market,  the slum dwellers, “illegal settlers”, or  the internally displaced people in the refugee camps live a life of impoverishment, far from the dignified access to safe drinking water and sanitation.  The scope, therefore, should not only talk about the urban/peri-urban farmers, but  also about the general urban poor who are deprived of these basic rights and entitlements that an average citizen of a country can enjoy.

5) Water in political conflicts and food production

·         Conflicts arises if a neighboring  country  / state diverts the water for their needs or control the water sources, which affects the other.  Therefore, in water management, one needs to take into account the transboundary  water management, as more than 60% of the world’s fresh water  falls within transboundary  basins.   This would hamper, both the agroindustry as well as  access to drinking water and sanitation.

6) Virtual Water

·         Even though this is covered in the scope of the study extensively, trade of water in the form of water intensive food commodities , it would be good to link it to the  us of biomass  for bio-energy and industry and the changing consumption habits.  The chain of demand and supply for bio-mass has its own virtual water consumption and effect.

7) Management

·         Even though many actors in water management has been spelt out in the scope of the stude, it is all the more important that the States  must include in their governance plans,  on  water conservation and have measures in place  monitor it. 

·         Privatization of water in the field of agriculture (promoted by World bank and others) is a major problem for the marginalized vulnerable groups. It is important to show who benefits and who loses from privatization of water

·         Water is a common good. How would  a just, democratic and equitable form of water governance look like?  Where are best practices of people's control over and community use of water resources? The study should identify  and highlight them for further emulation.

·         Do we also need global governance of water, as it is not a local, national or regional problem only? How would this look like? Can a global body like the UN monitor violations of countries on water management?

8) Equity, inequalities in the context of stigma and discrimination 

·         Even though the scope of study talks about equity and sustainability, it is very important to address the various forms of stigma and  discrimination on the basis of one’s identity, ethnicity, health,  cultural, regional, religious, caste  background, etc. There are strong evidences of such discriminations, which proves a huge stumbling block in realizing human rights to water and sanitation.  The Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque has discussed this in detail in one of her reports  to the UN  Human Rights Council here.  It is also therefore, important to address the existing inequalities  in the form of stigma and discrimination within the purview of equity and not “one size fits all” approach.

9) Grievance

·         Even though the UN Human Rights Council has  a grievance redressal mechanism in place, is it accessible to the common people?  What alternate  grievance redressal system do we need? Where can a pastoralist or a peasant farmer go to when he/she wants to claim his/her right to water?