Overall Comments
· Australia thanks the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) for the opportunity to provide comments on their proposed study on Water and Food Security.
· The proposed scope of the report indicates it will focus on water for agricultural production and food processing. It broadly covers the main issues currently raised in the global debate and is similar to several existing reports that address global challenges in water use for food production.
· Australia advocates a comprehensive approach to food security, which includes protecting the productive base for agricultural production. This consists of maintaining plant and animal health and sustaining the natural environment, including water.
· Australia therefore supports the proposed study on Water and Food Security, as it will provide valuable information on the condition of global and regional water supplies and any critical pressures likely to emerge as agricultural production increases to meet 2050 global food demand.
· In exploring the effect of water availability on the international trade of food, Australia encourages the HLPE to explore the link between open markets, innovation and effective water management.
o Open markets allow a country to focus on their comparative advantage, which promotes greater efficiency and innovation in agricultural production – including in water management.
· Australia also supports the HLPE’s proposed focus on women.
o In addition to describing the contributions and roles of women as food and water providers, the report could usefully consider practical measures that would improve women’s access to water.
o We note that women make up 40 per cent of agriculture’s labour force worldwide and up to 67 per cent in lower income countries. Economic growth is strongest when all members of a society are able to participate fully.
· Economic impacts (mentioned briefly in section 3) warrant greater attention. Water and food security are essential for economic growth and poverty reduction. We encourage the HLPE to identify the extent to which water scarcity might limit economic activity. Subsequent discussion of options for managing such constraints – including new technologies, improved resource management or other policy reforms – could then include consideration of their potential economic benefits.
Specific Comments
· Section 1, Dot Point 1 - ‘What are the global and regional patterns and anticipated increases in water consumption in these sectors over the next 30 years?’
o This comment appears to be set in a context of increases in water consumption; however it is likely that we will be in a context of uncertainty of quantity and regularity in water supplies, especially in current food growing areas. It may be useful if the paper sets the discussion more in the context of increasing demands and uncertain supply of water.
· Section 1, Dot Point 3 - ‘Global and regional statistics on water quality. To what extent, and how, is water quality changing in rural and urban areas, both within and between countries? How does the geography and current trends in water quality affect the capacity of different genders and social groups to access clean and good quality water?
o Australia suggests the report explore the relationship between the increased use of groundwater and the localised concentration of ‘poisons/ contaminants’ in groundwater, which can have severe health impacts.
· Section 2, Opening Statement - ‘Water governance is now a key concern in a context of increasing water scarcity, local and trans-boundary water conflicts, and global climate change. The HLPE report would therefore focus on the governance of water management for food and nutrition security’
o It would be more realistic to set this in the context of competing demands for water from urban centres, industry, power generators and the needs of the environment. Water for food security (especially for irrigators) will have to be addressed in the context of competing demands.
o As the competition for water increases, one of the emerging issues is water pricing. As water becomes a more valuable commodity and choices need to be made on the basis of comparative economic returns from various uses of water, the price of water becomes a critical issue. Entitlements are one issue but allocations are becoming more critical.
o While there is a brief reference to transboundary conflicts in this section, the proposed scope focuses largely on national issues. We suggest the HLPE also provide their assessment of how water scarcity and competition might impact broader global or regional relationships in the future.
· Section 2, Paragraph 4 - ‘The HLPE report will seek to compile available information on how countries and regions are addressing the management of water for food and water security through their policies and institutions’
o A key issue that will increasingly affect policy decisions is energy and the cost of energy. There should be some reference to how energy (availability and price and also use of renewable energy such as for solar water pumps) will impact on water policies.
o Formal policies and institutions are an important part of the picture, but some assessment will also be required of the political economy of water management. Access to water is a significant element of broader power relationships in many countries.
· Section 3, Paragraph 1 - ‘What is the potential to accommodate demands for more irrigation?’
o The issue of demand for more irrigation needs to address the issue of energy use, as well as the environmental impact of opening new areas for irrigation and the issue of water use efficiency in irrigation. Water use efficiency is a key issue for water security in South Asia. The challenge we face is the need to produce more food with less water.
o In section 3 paragraph 2 there appears to be a suggestion that water for agriculture may come after water for cities, energy, mining, energy production etc. In South Asia, more than 70% of surface water and a similar percent of groundwater is allocated first for agriculture. This is what makes the issue of competition so significant.
o Australia also notes that other users of water are demanding more, often basing their case on the share of Gross National Product generated from each use. We suggest the paper advise on measures needed to ensure the agriculture sector continues to receive sufficient water to maintain food security, in the context of growing competition over an increasingly scarce resource.
· Section 3, paragraph 5 - ‘The report would critically discuss the potential of technological and institutional innovations for water conservation and its sustainable use in the context of climate change’
o Australia suggests the issue of Conservation Agriculture be addressed in this section of the report. This approach targets more efficient use of water in agriculture.
· Section 3, paragraph 7 - ‘Water governance impacts and emerging issues’
o The place of traditional water management structures (such as traditional tanks in South Asia) in securing food production in the face of changing rainfall patterns could be included in this section of the report.
Potential additional topics
· Surface water quality
o The original Council for Food Security request for a report (page 2) includes consideration of impacts on groundwater quality. However, the state of surface water is also integral to global food security. For instance, in some countries, surface water has been heavily polluted and rendered unfit for many purposes including agriculture. While we note that the initial request terms cannot be changed, the interactions between surface and groundwater resources suggest that surface water should be included in the consideration of the report. We suggest that the scoping point on global and regional statistics of water quality (page 3, point 3) could specify that the research will consider statistics on both groundwater and surface water quality.
· Biodiversity and food security
o We note that the document does not mention the critical role biodiversity plays in supporting agricultural production. Biodiversity is the foundation of ecosystem services essential to sustain agriculture and human well-being. While biodiversity is critical for agriculture, agriculture can also contribute to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Maintenance of this biodiversity is essential for the sustainable production of food and other agricultural products and the benefits these provide to humanity, including food security, nutrition and livelihoods. We suggest that the interaction between biodiversity, water and food security policies could be explored in this report.
Suggested case studies
· Australian policy makers have a considerable experience in water and food security policy. The Department of the Environment has indicated that it would be willing to contribute to relevant case studies which may be useful for the HLPE to consider in developing its report.
· For example, Australia’s ongoing inter-jurisdictional cooperation on water quality issues at a basin scale in the Murray-Darling Basin could serve as a realistic case study that demonstrates both the successes and inherent challenges related to water governance (For reference, see: Grafton and Horne, 2014 - forthcoming, Water markets in the Murray-Darling Basin, Agricultural Water Management, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2013.12.001). Similarly, Australia’s experience with water quality improvement plans in general may offer valuable insight to this report.
· Another possible example is our experience in climate change adaptation and resilience. The Department of the Environment is developing a national adaptation assessment framework through a series of reports called the Climate Adaptation Outlook. We are working to extend the framework to assess national adaptation progress in a number of priority areas, including the water sector. The final assessment framework is due to be released in May 2014 and the first national assessment is due to be released in December 2014.
Concluding Remarks
· Australia thanks the High Level Panel of Experts for developing their proposed scope of the study on water and food security and looks forward for further engagement as the report is developed.
Government of AustraliaAdam Balcerak