An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day, focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

The theme of each year’s World Water Day is set by UN-Water. This year’s theme is “Nature for Water”. UN-Water issues the annual World Water Development Report, which addresses the theme. This year’s report is entitled “Nature-Based Solutions for Water”, to which FAO has contributed a chapter.

FAO estimates that the demand for food globally will increase by 50% between 2013 and 2050. Projections also indicate nearly half of the global population will be living in areas under heavy water stress by 2050. Agriculture, representing 70% of global water withdrawals and almost a quarter of GHG emissions (together with forestry and other land use), offers significant potential to dealing with water scarcity and climate change while maintaining and enhancing the integrity of the ecosystems, which support all life on our planet including food security.

Agriculture can address water scarcity through crop choices, better irrigation management, use of right technologies (including wastewater reuse), better livestock management, more-efficient water use, sustainable land management, healthy soils, and reductions in food loss and waste.

Objectives

FAO at this event will celebrate the World Water Day by hosting a discussion on the theme from the perspective of FAO’s mandate. The celebration will entail a presentation of the World Water Development Report 2018 (WWDR 2018) that is to be officially launched in Brazil on 19 March, during the 8th World Water Forum. The main aim will be to:

• Highlight FAO’s contribution to WWDR 2018
• Make the connection between the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) with others such as SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), with emphasis on producing more with less water 
• Discuss the nature-based options available and the opportunities to incorporate them in countries’ efforts towards climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The occasion will also provide an opportunity to illustrate FAO’s work on migration, with two presentations on water stress and migration; and on the broad issue of migration, agriculture and livelihoods.