Here is a selection of titles proposed by FAO Publications for forum participants who would like to read more on climate change and water in the context of food security and nutrition.
Water for food security and nutrition
The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2020
This edition presents new estimates on the pervasiveness of water scarcity in irrigated agriculture and of water shortages in rainfed agriculture, as well as on the number of people affected.
Browse all previous editions here.
Climate change, water and food security
This report summarizes knowledge of the anticipated impacts of climate change on water availability for agriculture. It emphasizes the need for a closer alignment between water and agricultural policies.
West and Central Africa region (WCA) is facing challenges of climate change and weather-related shocks. This report provides evidence-based information on the impacts of climate change to support the development of adaptation strategies that build the resilience of smallholder farmers in the region.
Related website: http://www.fao.org/in-action/aicca/en/
Integrated agriculture water management and health – FAO COVID-19 policy brief
This policy brief reviews ongoing challenges and proposes recommendations on an integrated water resources management approach that embraces the value of water in all its forms and recognizes the intrinsic role of water in protecting human, animal and ecosystem health.
Nature-Based Solutions for Agricultural Water Management and Food Security
Through a selection of case studies, including the example of El Salvador’s Lempa River management, this paper shows that transdisciplinarity and well-designed funding schemes are key to successful implementation of nature-based solutions.
Smart Irrigation – Smart WASH: solutions in response to the pandemic crisis in Africa
The publication explains how to implement the initiative “Smart irrigation–Smart WASH” through assessing and mapping the degree of vulnerability in African countries while proposing investment directions to enhance water management in vulnerable communities.
Water stress and human migration: a global, georeferenced review of empirical research
This report assesses and maps 184 peer-reviewed, empirical research articles selected for their focus on linkages between water stress and human migration. A key finding of the review is that migrants rarely cause resource conflicts.
Nature-Positive Agriculture and Natural Resources Management
These three new reports lay out the potential of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in agriculture to deliver nutrition for people worldwide while restoring nature and the climate – contributing to multiple imperatives of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
- Nature-based solutions in agriculture: Sustainable management and conservation of land, water and biodiversity
- Nature-based solutions in agriculture: The case and pathway for adoption
- Nature-based solutions in agriculture: Project design for securing investment
Climate change and food security
Climate resilient practices – Typology and guiding material for climate risk screening
This publication outlines good climate resilient practices in agricultural subsectors,including crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries. Its aim is to assist project developers in the identification of climate risks during the early stages of the investment project cycle.
Climate change: Unpacking the burden on food safety
This document identifies some anticipated and current food safety issues associated with various climate change and environmental factors. It was created to help foster better international cooperation to reduce the global effects of climate change on food security.
Incorporating climate change considerations into agricultural investment programmes
This document details approaches and procedures for incorporating climate change considerations into all stages of agricultural investment projects and programmes formulation, including conceptualization, preparation, supervision and evaluation.
This paper utilizes household survey data to evaluate the impacts of 11 drought adaptation practices adopted by farmers in the Anurādhapura District. The evaluation focuses on two dimensions: impact on sensitivity to water stress and impact on household livelihood.
Further reading
- UN World Water Development Report 2021
- Accounting for livestock water productivity: how and why?
- Environment and Natural Resources Management Working Papers
Forthcoming
- The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) 2021
- Guidance on realizing real water savings with crop water productivity interventions
- Resilient Watershed Manager's Handbook
- Sustainable management and use of fresh-water resources for food security and nutrition in Small Island Development States
- Indigenous Peoples’ food systems. Insights on sustainability and resilience in the front line of climate change.
Additional resources
Database
- AQUASTAT: FAO’s global water information system
- AQUACROP: The industry-leading crop–water productivity software model
- AQUAMAPS: Global spatial database on water and agriculture
Websites
- FAO climate change website
- FAO energy
- FAO land and water website
- FAO & the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture
FAO eLearning academy
A guide to developing a resilient watershed management plan
This course presents the basic principles and concepts related to resilient watershed management, and, through the description of a case study, practically illustrates the process for formulating a resilient watershed management plan, from the analysis of the enabling environment to the definition of the risk management measures to implement.
Climate change adaptation and mitigation in fisheries and aquaculture
This course provides an overview of adaptation and mitigation strategies that can be implemented in response to climate change impacts on the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Climate-smart livestock production
This course analyses the role of livestock production in climate-smart agriculture. It describes the importance of livestock production to food security and identifies adaptation and mitigation strategies and practices along the entire livestock supply chain. It also illustrates how livestock keeping is itself an adaptation strategy and how the sector can contribute to the global mitigation effort.
FAO Publications