FAO Advocates for Smarter Water Governance and Launches Digital Irrigation Tool at Rome Dialogue

ROME — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) called for enhanced water governance and more efficient water use to safeguard global food security during a high-level session of the Rome Water Dialogue at the World Food Forum 2026.

Speaking at the event, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu highlighted the impact of recent El Niño events, noting that rapid shifts in rainfall lead to droughts and floods that damage crops, livestock, and human lives. Qu emphasized the need to alter how agriculture manages water resources, advocating for a "4R approach" centered on reducing, reusing, recycling, and replenishing water.

The Director-General outlined four interconnected priorities: improving water-use efficiency through data and transparent accounting, ensuring equitable access for small-scale and vulnerable producers, strengthening early warning and risk management for extreme weather, and protecting ecosystems that sustain water cycles.

The dialogue also examined water allocation and pricing policies. According to the FAO, responsible governance must balance the cultural, social, economic, and environmental values of water while protecting basic needs and vulnerable communities through initiatives like the Global Dialogue on Water Tenure.

Alongside the policy discussions, the FAO announced the launch of a new digital platform called the Mapping of Irrigation Potential and Needs Initiative (IRMA). The decision-support tool combines data on existing irrigation infrastructure, biophysical suitability, and sustainable development needs to help countries evaluate, compare, and prioritize sustainable irrigation investments.

The high-level segment featured several international leaders and representatives, including King Letsie III of Lesotho, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs LI Junhua, and ministers and officials from Tajikistan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Morocco, China, Germany, Sri Lanka, and the Asian Development Bank.

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