FAO-RNE is hosting a groundbreaking workshop focusing on SDG 6.4, tackling water scarcity in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region! 🚰

The United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in 2015 as a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030, all people will enjoy peace and prosperity. 

Within the framework of this Agenda, FAO is collaborating with member countries to adopt integrated water resources management and ensure that water use in agriculture is more efficient, productive, equitable, and environmentally sustainable. This includes producing more food with less water, strengthening farming communities' resilience to floods and droughts, and promoting innovative water technologies and governance model assessing the general advancement of SDG 6, including SDG 6.4, which addresses water use and scarcity in the region.

To date, assessing the general advancement of SDG 6, including SDG 6.4, which addresses water use and scarcity in the region using the worldwide SDG indicator framework, is considered a very challenging process. This is mainly due to our region's unique natural, socio-economic and environmental challenges that are exacerbated by transboundary dependence, occupation and conflict, population growth, increased urbanization, and climate change.

During this workshop, FAO-RNE water scarcity initiative team and colleagues from HQ will be working closely with all countries' focal points to examine the present challenges to tracking the achievement of SDG indicators 6.4.1 and 6.4.2 in countries of the region.

They will also explore the potential of FAO’s global water information system, “AQUASTAT," towards improving our approach to streamlining water data collection processes by providing a centralized platform for stakeholders to contribute, share, and access water-related statistics and information.

By the end of the workshop, capacity of the Countries in the Near East and North Africa region will be strengthened in collecting water data, reporting, monitoring and analyzing SDG indicators 6.4.1 and 6.4.2 and how to use them effectively for the implementation of public policies related to agriculture, water and climate change agendas.

For concept note of the event, click here.

For Logistics of the event, click here.