Systems at breaking point

Time is of the essence. Current trends in natural resource depletion indicate production from rainfed and irrigated agriculture is operating at or over the limit of sustainability. Recent assessments, projections and scenarios point to the accelerated depletion of land and water resources and associated loss of biodiversity. The uncertainty of climate change and the complex feedback loops between climate and land present agriculture with amplified levels of risk that need to be managed. A global view points to a convergence of factors putting unprecedented pressure on land and water resources, leading to a set of human impacts and shocks in the supply of agricultural products, notably food.

The SOLAW 2021 report argues that a sense of urgency needs to prevail over a hitherto neglected area of public policy and human welfare, that of caring for the long-term future of land, soil and water. This will allow to make the necessary transformation at the roots of the global food systems - water, land and soils – and inspire uptake by decision-makers at the global, regional and national levels.