Explore Official Dialogue Feedback

Group 8: Connecting land and ocean-based food systems for food security, environment and climate gains Discussion framing statement: By 2030, land-based agricultural systems will be designed and managed to maximize production while minimizing impact on the land, climate, and waters (e.g. minimizing nutrient and pollution run-off and erosion and use of unsustainable fish meal as feed). Key Messages: • Innovation is required: looking for new ways to do aquaculture to increase production with minimal degradation and waste. For example, is there any way to innovate on fish feed? Can feed be prod... Read moreuced from waste? • Encouraging greater biodiversity and ecosystem restoration/rehabilitation are vital o Using mangroves to capture carbon; selling the carbon to the external market instead of selling the tree o Using seagrass to conserve and rehabilitate • Must be mindful of downstream effects and the linkages between all parts of food systems o We need to become much better at talking very explicitly about the links between oceans and climate—for example, the effects of agriculture run off impacting aquatic ecosystems and food o It is important to reduce pollution from mining; with shared bodies of water, mining pollution flows across borders and into shared water supplies. • We need to expand consumer’s palates and cultural preferences to include a broader diversity of aquatic foods o Do we have food safety regulations put in place for new types of aquatic foods that aren’t conventionally eaten? o How to get more young people to eat aquatic foods? • Important to have policies to support small-scale fisheries, women, and youth • Implementation of new practices is often the biggest challenge. o In Africa, the implementation of changes has been a challenge o What existing instruments could the FSS help implement? o Important to not create another new system, but work within what already exists o There is often a lack of education and awareness. • There are ‘more than triple wins” that we can commit to; we need to look at multi-stakeholder engagement; conservation, rehabilitation, consumption, nutrition Read less

Group 9: Managing fisheries for climate change – reducing emissions and enabling adaptation (climate-resilient fisheries) Discussion framing statement: By 2030, aquaculture and wild caught fisheries are managed to minimize GHG emissions and maximize resilience in the face of impacts of climate change. The panellists agreed that the 10-year timeline delineated in the framing statement was unlikely if not impossible to follow. However, they discussed some opportunities for adaptation and mitigations that could be implemented even if the 2030 deadline is not met: • Moving to an electrified fl... Read moreeet • Providing and/or changing infrastructure • Expand the number of small-scale fisheries • Implementing safety and security standards at sea using coastguards • Hosting more workshops/ expanding understanding of adapted fisheries management in response to climate change • Climate proofing new innovations into mitigation or resilience so that you are not working with soft science • Technical innovations, in terms of engines and improving the gears to make them more fuel efficient Improving management of fisheries was described as “the cornerstone of improving the GHG emissions in wild caught fisheries.” In many regions where countries shared waters, their management plans are completely different, which has led to lack of coordination at a regional level. More cooperation forums between different nations are needed, as is a shift to the regional management of fisheries, so that stocks are jointly managed and rather than governments trying to make the best use of the catch individually. Fisheries management was also discussed in terms of ensuring equity and climate change adaptation. From a broader socioeconomic perspective, this means thinking about individual harvesters who operate their own vessels, and whose livelihoods depend on the vessel. Instead of rationalizing the vessels, we must think about how to green the vessels. In terms of climate change adaptation, this means understanding trends that are occurring in ocean conditions and how they affect fish stocks, but also understanding how the ocean’s carbon storing function can be maintained to benefit the ocean and its marine ecosystems’ health. This is where the mitigation efforts such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) play an increasingly important role. Another topic of discussion was food loss since 8% of GHG emissions come from seafood loss. This led to a debate on consumer power, although there was disagreement on the extent to which consumers had real power to transform the sustainability of the fishing industry. They did point to increasing consumer awareness on specific issues in the fishing sector and consumers understanding of their role in changing or influencing the larger food system. Opinions differed as to whether changing consumer behaviour would create the necessary change in the system, particularly since sustainably sourced products tend to have a higher price point, often people putting off. But others believed that more money and politicians getting involved in changing consumer behaviour would help. A combination of promoting a product that is sustainably sourced with low climate impact while at the same time implementing regulations and a global standard for what a country can import was suggested. This also means tackling fishing subsidies for large vessels and focusing instead on subsidizing just green or sustainable fisheries. The importance of equity and socioeconomic solutions to the problems in the fishing sector was frequently raised - in terms of the relationship between how seafood is viewed in a country, as a luxury or a necessity, and the management of the fisheries sector. The importance of looking at the equity of a solution when thinking about any adaptation or mitigation efforts to climate change was highlighted as key. The effects of climate change will not be felt equally around the world - the small island states (or large ocean states) who rely on the fishing sector for work and livelihoods will unfortunately bear a lot of the burden. A solution without taking into consideration larger equity problems cannot be a solution we pick Read less

Group 10: Managing fisheries for climate change – reducing emissions and enabling adaptation (climate-resilient fisheries) Discussion framing statement: By 2030, aquaculture and wild caught fisheries are managed to minimize GHG emissions and maximize resilience in the face of impacts of climate change. Natural resources from rivers, lakes and the sea must be protected by considering the entire habitats and including human activities. For the goals to be achieved a management system needs to be in place. For the management system to work it needs to be science based (including traditional kno... Read morewledge), collect data that can be processed and modelled for foresight to be used in decision making. Both the most important stocks and the habitat need to be conserved using an ecosystem approach integrated into the management system. Policy and decision making needs to be inclusive and democratic. It needs to take account of equity and rights, including the right to food and nutrition as well as gender issues and the interests of youth and marginal groups. New technologies and management is important but new management methods and technologies need to be introduced on a time horizon commensurate with the speed of environmental change. There will be tensions and trade-offs such as between local food production and production for foreign currency earning and ways of production. However, loss and waste need to be reduced, utilization of unused and invasive species needs to be considered in an innovative way and aquaculture, particularly homestead, may be considered as solutions. These trade-offs and solutions need to be managed in the interest of the community as a whole. Taking into account the right to food and the right of the coastal communities. External actors can and are needed for support with resources for investment but particularly for data generation and policy advice but also with convening power. Support should be long term, secure and inclusive. The outcome should be that more blue aquatic food should be accessible for the most vulnerable and livelihoods of vulnerable communities are strengthened. Read less

There were some divergences during the break-out groups. These included: • The extent to which changing consumer behaviour would help in forcing the necessary changes in aquatic food systems, and food systems more broadly when it comes to food loss and waste. Some felt consumer behaviour would prove powerful, others felt that regulations and incentives would prove more successful. The conclusion reached was that all three approaches would be needed to reduce food loss and waste. • Whether small scale actors should join forces with bigger companies to scale their production and get their pr... Read moreoducts to market or whether small scale producers would receive better food security and livelihood outcomes from organizing amongst themselves in cooperatives with institutional support. • The extent to which aquaculture can help improve nutrition globally was questioned, with some feeling that developing sustainable aquaculture practices will help remove pressure from both aquatic and terrestrial food systems, while others are skeptical about its role in helping nutrition in low income countries, particularly given lack of finance for technology etc that helps improve sustainability. Read less

Group 1: Food security, nutrition and sustainable consumption of aquatic foods Discussion framing statement: By 2030, aquatic foods are recognised by policy-makers as a safe source of nutrients that can help end malnutrition. We need an intentional, directed transformation so that blue food can serve critical social objectives. Fisheries are going through a huge transformation at the moment without any direction, so we need a “blue transformation” – a directed way to transform the sector so that is it geared towards the key objectives (nutrition, social, environmental) we want to achieve... Read more. This “directed transformation” must include moving away from a model of production that only harvests a few species and instead should shift to the production of smaller, local fishes. It must also focus on changing consumer demand through education, awareness raising, innovation, and social safety programs. Dietary guidelines also have an important role to play. Currently, only a small percentage of dietary guidelines include blue food and these guidelines often fail to include the full diversity of possible aquatic food sources. We need to promote the full diversity of foods especially in the lower trophics where blue food also has a lower environmental impact. This transition will also require attention to the blue food value and supply chains and the improvement of traceability. In addition, the private sector has an important role to play in innovation and in investing in cold chain so that blue food can be safe and accessible everywhere. We must also take care of the ecosystems and environmental resources where aquatic food comes from and ensure that aquaculture is done in a safe and environmentally friendly way. In the same vein, we must broaden the frame of our overarching objectives: it is not just about ensuring access to safe food but also to food that is healthy, efficient, and sustainable. Undoubtably, there are a number of obstacles we need to overcome to achieve these goals. One of the challenges is that it is difficult to change people’s perceptions and dietary habits with public campaigns. Though it may be challenging to overcome this barrier, people are now more aware of sustainability and climate change considerations, which can make blue food more attractive. Another key issue in many countries is the lack of access to electricity, which has implications for food safety and transportation. Finally, food safety is critical and it is connected to issues like marine pollution and contamination. These intersecting challenges must all be addressed in a coordinated manner. All actors –governments and the private sector alike—have a role to play in overcoming these issues. We must also ensure that the voices of fishermen are incorporated in these conversations and that they can effectively inform policy making. To achieve food security, nutrition, and sustainable consumption goals, we must create a new and positive narrative for fisheries - one that focuses on their contribution to social and environmental objectives. Specifically, we need to ensure that people know that blue food can be good for their health and the environment. It is also important to elevate the role of freshwater aquaculture and ensure that its contributions to nutrition are not overlooked. Read less

Group 2: Food security, nutrition and sustainable consumption of aquatic foods Discussion framing statement: By 2030, a greater diversity of sustainable, nutritious aquatic foods are available for consumption. It was a very energetic and engaged group with thoughts voiced by almost everyone present. The participants rallied around a number of key points. One point is that we need to establish the benefits of blue food, with special focus on small fish and other low input species such as bivalves and seaweed, in policies and dietary guidelines, which will require engagement with both government... Read more and business. Importantly, we also need to engage consumers in shifting their diets to consume more sustainable blue food through advocacy, awareness raising, and the leveraging of influencers through various media and marketing channels. Effectively, we need a consumer revolution around blue food by emphasizing nutritional value, removing traditional stigmas (e.g. small fish as a “poor man’s meal”), diversifying offerings and ways of consuming and incorporating them into our diets, and enabling the scaling of production in order to meet and generate more demand. In terms of diversification, the emphasis was not so much on diversifying the types of species we consume, but how we use and consume the species that are already available in the market through products such as fish powder and fish sausage. Furthermore, the group delved into how to minimize blue food loss and waste through various traditional and modern techniques, with the conclusion that by using the whole fish, we would derive more nutritional value overall from our meal. While the group agreed on points discussed the majority of the time, there was a divergence in terms of whether small scale producers should join forces with bigger companies to scale their production and get their products to market or to organize amongst themselves in cooperatives with institutional support. Ultimately, these two strategies are not mutually exclusive and can be complementary. Overall, it was a robust conversation with plenty of food for thought! Read less

Group 3: Supporting and protecting small-scale and subsistence producers of food from the ocean, rivers and lakes Discussion framing statement: By 2030, small-scale and subsistence actors (from fisheries and aquaculture sectors and including women and other vulnerable groups) are included in blue food decision-making and policy, and trade and economic policy takes account of their roles in providing equitable economic opportunity and nutrition. The discussion was rich, but structured. There were few points of divergence and most participants agreed on the following points. Vision The participa... Read morents would like to see that by 2030, the FAO’s small-scale fisheries guidelines are implemented at the district (local), national and regional level. In addition, support to all sectors was deemed necessary to reach the SGDs. Therefore, the following points should be prioritised: • Local communities need to be included from the start. • Enable SSF-actors to participate in discussion. To do this it is important to have the right language and the right format. The International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture is one such opportunity. Their knowledge and experience must be incorporated in policy development. • Must ensure that any support provided benefits local food security and that economic benefits are retained locally. • Need to change the narrative. There is a positive story to be told that we can greatly benefit if we take care of our ocean. • Address post-harvest losses in the small-scale fisheries value-chain. • Better coordination of support, in order to reach the stakeholders whom most need support. • Enforcing fishing and proper management plan for small-scale fisheries is critical. Important to share best practices in order to do this. Difficult politically for governments to take action to enforce and manage fisheries, because they can become unpopular, but this can be resolved with more data, which would show the cost of inaction. Some governments already working on this through initiatives like the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, under which Panel member countries’ plan to sustainably manage 100% of the ocean under their jurisdiction. • The small-scale fisheries sector is vulnerable to climate change and need tools for adaption, disaster management and preparedness. To ensure that there is progress and success, the following indicators could be envisaged: • Changes to policy and assessments to ensure compliance. • Health of fishing stocks. • Assessment to ensure local socioeconomic benefits are retained locally from local fisheries value chains. Read less

Group 4: Supporting and protecting small-scale and subsistence producers of food from the ocean, rivers and lakes Discussion framing statement same as Group 3. To ensure smallholders within the value chain are positioned more centrally in decision-making processes there is a need to understand how to enable these small-scale representatives and producers voices while also shifting the decision-making process to a system that will work within the existing local context. Often times, decisions in the value-chain are centered on the asks of those who hold power. To ensure this shift happens, ther... Read moree needs to be engagement in a diverse set of voices throughout the process. This will require capacity development and training as well as a breakdown of existing barriers such as power differentials. Decision-makers should recognize the value that small-scale fishers and aquaculture provide for a local community and beyond. An option which has been seen within the irrigation sector has been governments devolving power down to small-scale holders so then the decision-making is out of their hands. Although there are problems with this approach, it can be a start to empower local groups, recognising that this approach would also need capacity building as well as infrastructure to support. NGO’s have been successful at this level of organisation and can be important levers to make strategic shifts. Within small-scale fisheries and aquaculture there may be a lack of unity as many groups remain informal. These can become difficult when existing systems at the local, national and regional level require formal registration and recognition for inclusion in discussions. After forming groups and possibly formalizing, in order to be recognized, it is important that groups identify champions within their members who can present their collective voice to government. Informal or formally recognizing groups can also work within their own communities to find solutions to local problems, which in turn can create empowerment and awareness with greater visibility when they approach governing bodies. This could then create a meeting in the middle of top-down and bottom-up approach- marginalizing the power imbalance We need to ensure the participation of these stakeholders in each step of the planning and management process to ensure it is a is collaborative process as well as to ensure buy-in as well as local ownership. There is the broader issue of this need for legal status as a group to participate in government dialogues which results in lack of inclusion for some of these unrepresented voices. Additionally, there is a need for context mapping as issues will vary depending on location and the stakeholders involved. There needs to be greater transparency in the implications that decision making will have on stakeholders at the community level as advocacy and policy influence can have a profound impact (i.e. China’s monetary influence of ports/fish processing in Africa on local communities water and fishing resources) Implementation of voluntary guidelines, created by agencies or intergovernmental organisations like FAO can unite users under one system or network and allows the sharing of experiences due to commonality. The national implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT) and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries would be critical to ensure a step towards prioritising value-chain holders rights. 5 Summary Points: 1. Recognize the value and vital contribution that small scale actors along the value chain play in shepherding blue foods through the food systems 2. Make inclusive governance participation the norm and not just the nice to have but the must have 3. Devolve existing power structure to make decision making power more equitable 4. Ensure there is commitment and capacity to implement existing voluntary guidelines such as the FAO Tenure and Small Scale Fishing guidelines 5. Build capacity and facilitate coordination amongst small-holders to demand, and take opportunities for, representing their views, strategies, solutions, and the values they bring Read less

Group 5: Promoting investment in aquatic and “ocean-smart” land-based food systems Discussion framing statement: By 2030, public and private investments in land- and water-based food systems will be climate and ocean “smart”, ensuring the rights of small-scale producers and minimizing impacts on land and water ecosystems. In summary, the group discussion provided three bottom line messages: 1. Increasing blue food consumption is vital. Our attention must be channeled towards the water systems. This will reduce the pressure on terrestrial production systems. 2. Aquatic and “ocean-smar... Read moret” land-based food production systems have a great regenerative opportunity integrated with natural ecosystems. 3. Policy and capital flow to big scale production does not always produce the value we want. We need to focus more and channel capital to small-scale producers. Blended finance is key. There is an issue of capital not reaching the small-scale-producers. There is private capital available, but it is difficult for investors to find investment ready projects they can support. Many investors are looking for high returns. There are opportunities around blended finance. It is important to work on both sides. Restructure investors to reach the projects, but also work on the small-scale-fishers side. The small projects often need to be aggregated. We also need more data and evidence of the importance of small-scale-fishers in the system. The role of the government is important to enable investments in small-scale producers. The EU-taxonomy will also cover fisheries and fish farms. This is where governments set clear policies on how to invest. If we want the money to go to the right places, government, not only private sector needs to be involved. For financing to be attractive, policies that provide trust and risk reduction is needed. These policies need to be informed through research and data. Further, they need to take several aspects into account (environmental, but also social and economic). Local stakeholders, especially small-scale producers must be heard when policies are developed. How can we feed this into the Food Systems Summit? • We must pay attention to small-scale producers and how to invest in them. Politics are volatile in many countries, which makes this difficult. The Philippines serves as a good example on management of aquatic resources and protection of small-scale producers. • There is a lack of recognition of the contribution of fisheries. Particularly the contribution of small-scale producers to the economies. This must change and investments must be promoted. The contribution is financial as well as positive for climate resilience. • There must be an integration between the wet and the dry. Oceans are driving weather systems, affecting the dry systems and therefore ecosystem goods and services. • Land is often the topic during discussions. But we need more focus on aquatic systems and to ensure that access to finance is equitable. Recognize the need of developing countries and SIDS. Public sector finance will help unlock private sector finance. There should not be a fight between agriculture and the ocean – it is connected. • Too much of the finance goes to big players. We need to shift the policy and investment focus to look at small-scale producers. The solution is not either/or, but blended. • We must create an enabling environment. • Blue food is essential for domestic food security, as well as an important trade commodity. • Small-scale production must complement the large. We cannot take for granted that the potential of the small-scale production will be realized. • Let’s learn from where the agriculture went wrong. • Many fishers are driven from their land due to large-scale production. Can’t drive people further. • We need clear policy attention on both aquatic and terrestrial or we will fail to meet SDG2. • Regenerative production systems are a big area of growth. Seaweed is the fastest growing plant on the planet. • It is important to not only focus on the ocean, but also on rivers and lakes. • Blue food broadly speaking - it affects a majority of the SDGs (10 out of the 17) Read less

Group 6: Promoting investment in aquatic and “ocean-smart” land-based food systems Discussion framing statement: By 2030, public and private investments in land- and water-based food systems will be climate and ocean “smart”, ensuring the rights of small-scale producers and minimizing impacts on land and water ecosystems. The themes discussed included the fact that foods from the ocean are not getting the same government attention within ministries and regulations as terrestrial food and this can be contributing to lack of investment and governance. Changing consumption was also discus... Read moresed, looking at historical change in places like Japan and what we need to envision moving forward in the future. How we directly start to invest in those diets in the future is important. Investing in infrastructure is also needed to minimize waste. If we are looking to the ocean to produce protein, how do we minimize negative impacts and what type of planning, policy and reform should be pushed for? Science needs to be rooted in the planning. The push for women within the sector is also important. The importance of storytelling in influencing food pattern consumptions and driving investment was also discussed. We need to get the story right: blue food is nutritious and it employs women. The story is not getting the attention it deserves. We need policy and governance that supports this. We need to focus on science-based research to develop planning and ultimately lead to sustainable policy. We need to invest in technology. Read less

Foods from the ocean, rivers and lakes play a vital role in food systems but are often missing from global discussions on food security and nutrition. This Dialogue aimed to address that. A healthy ocean means healthy people – the ocean and other aquatic ecosystems are critical to the global food system and often indispensable in local food chains, but they are at risk if not transformed to be more sustainable, nature-positive and accessible. It is vital that food systems are composed of sufficient, safe and nutritious foods - including food from the ocean and other aquatic sources - that me... Read moreet the dietary needs and food preferences of a growing population. Public and private support for food systems – including policies, regulations, aid, investments, and markets – must better recognize the critical role of food from the ocean, rivers and lakes and the people who produce them. This requires not only direct support for sustainable, climate-smart fisheries and aquaculture, but also recognition of the interconnection between land and ocean food production. This means explicit efforts to ensure land-based food production does not negatively impact the production of aquatic foods or the people who depend on them (e.g. through run-off, erosion, or unsustainable use of fish meal). The Dialogue highlighted to participants that the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit provides an opportunity to address these gaps and develop solutions to feed the world through systems that are good for the land, good for the climate, and good for the ocean. We provided participants a ‘vision for the future of aquatic food production’, in the form of a framing statement: By 2030, aquatic food is fundamental to global food security, with policies and investments in place to ensure sustainable management of the resources and with minimal impacts from climate change and land-based activities. The objectives of our Dialogue were to: • Raise awareness of the importance of aquatic foods to the global food system, and of the importance of protecting the fragile ecosystems they are a part of, in particular the ocean. • Build consensus around the need for making public and private investments in land- and aquatic-based food systems that are ocean- and climate-smart, allowing us to make progress against multiple SDGs. • Ensure just and equitable access to and benefits from ocean and other aquatic-based food systems. • Contribute to the elaboration of a framing ‘vision’ for the future of blue/aquatic foods. Read less

The main findings were: 1. Getting the right narrative and amplifying it – Aquatic food is key for the future: it’s highly nutritious and vital to diets and livelihoods in some parts of the world, it can be sustainable (with the right practices, in the right place, at the right time) and it can help to take pressure off the land to produce more food for a growing population. It must be recognised in global conversations about the food system and be central to food system decision-making. 2. Integration - We should promote aquatic food systems that are integrated, circular and sustainable. ... Read moreWhen they are not, something is going badly wrong. The integrated approach has to link together land and water and must connect multiple actors. That means that integration needs to be part of the communication for the future. 3. Inclusion is vital - Include everyone, from all parts of the value chain and whether a small scale actor or large industry. Small scale fishing is absolutely critical and to protect those small scale actors and the environment, the FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries must be properly implemented. Inclusion must be a key stone of any approach and not just not a token - that means giving the possibility for all voices to be included in food system decision-making. Efforts on including and recognising women in aquatic food production must be scaled. 4. It is all about jurisdiction - The jurisdictional approach is key. Space must be created for the less powerful to have the option to engage in decision-making when it comes to what happens in and around aquatic ecosystems, ensuring that structures/frameworks allow that room for participation. Entitlements for participation should be based on people’s roles and responsibilities. Good regulations are needed, with particular attention needed on local contexts given the regional differences when it comes to aquatic food. A good quality jurisdictional approach is where trade-offs are worked through on a local level. It must also be designed to handle and work through tensions. 5. Values – There is beginning to be a shift from investment for profit to investment for value, where value is defined by the local community. This must continue and be scaled up. The jurisdictional approach is linked to this. 6. Indicators of success matter for accountability - We cannot measure success without indicators, such as the health of fish stocks and broader aquatic ecosystems, the level of socioeconomic benefits are retained locally etc. 7. Management - It is all about management, we have to manage for conservation, manage for preservation, manage for equity and for sustainability. There are a number of basic principles that all stakeholders must have access to: data, science, modelling and capacity building to help implement accessible, inclusive and sustainable food systems. Stakeholders need to be connected to each other and able to access levers and encourage value-based innovation. Accountable partnering will be important in achieving this across geographies. Read less

6. Inter-sectoral cooperation to ensure water-food-energy security and environmental sustainability "The cross-sectoral and transboundary strategies and cooperation required to ensure water-food-energy security for all and ensure environmental sustainability are in place (jointly managed systems minimize trade-off and maximize synergies)." Proposed ideas to ensure water-food-energy security and environmental sustainability: - Stop providing free electricity to incentivize lower electricity/water usage. - Raise awareness to the manageable interconnections between water and food systems and brea... Read morek down silos of communities. - More sustainable ways of ensuring we have water security; e.g. more efficient drip irrigation systems, harvesting rainwater, and improved storage for rainwater. - Intersectoral national policies. Key messages: - The value/role of aquatic foods should be considered, not only land-based foods. - There needs to be more investment in RandD for drought-resistant crops, crops with high nutrition profiles, and improved irrigation schemes for rural communities. - Must consider the perspectives of farmers and communities who use water resources (and how they use them) when planning water management strategies. - There should be greater collaboration between the development partner and the private sector. Points of consensus: - For a systems transformation there is a need to both consider the small-scale, looking at the communities and farmers, and the larger scale, a landscape or water basin approach, to address several sectors at the same time; focus on investing in a large number of small projects, rather than a small number of large projects. Read less

7. Governance "The governance of water resources (in terms of policy coherence, institutional coordination, and access rights) at multiple levels (farm, water basin, country, region) support equitable access to and sustainable use of water resources for food, health and energy." This session spoke of the ways in which water resources are (to be) managed effectively to address divergent societal and planetary needs. Participants from different national perspectives shared the ways in which water security is contingent on having appropriate systems in place to process and distribute water equita... Read morebly. Existing systems would often prove unable to deliver satisfactory results. Multiple participants noted that the need for adequate governance becomes even greater when water resources are strained because of environmental pressures. Participants mentioned a range of factors negatively impacting water security, including climate change, pollution, lack of awareness about sustainable water management, lack of political will, and power imbalances between relevant stakeholders. They agreed that governance is essential in order to mitigate these factors through establishing policies and setting up regulatory frameworks that provide the right incentives and are conducive to effective water resource management. There was consensus, however, that this can only be effective and equitable when it is informed by the values and interests of all stakeholders concerned. This requires a departure from the ‘sectoralist’ policies that often define governance, and the embrace of a cross-sectoral approach that takes into consideration perspectives of the many sectors that rely directly on water, including food, health, energy, and others. Participants stressed the need for a genuinely inclusive participatory process that gives a (preferential) voice to marginalized and vulnerable communities and future generations. Such empowerment and the democratizing of decision- and policy-making can foster the trust between relevant stakeholders that is required to leverage synergies and manage trade-offs between different interests while ensuring that no-one is left behind. This implies a fundamental shift in the way water is valued, in which water is not just understood as a commodity, but instead as core to life, livelihoods, and culture. Read less

8. Investments "The investments – public and private – required to optimize water use efficiency in our food systems and protection of water resources are mobilized and effectively used, and investments in unsustainable water uses discouraged." Investments can play a significant role in improving water security by recognizing the economic value of water, which should be an essential component for investment mechanisms. However, investments should not focus solely on efficiency but mainly on aggregated water use. Primarily thinking about aggregated water consumption and treating efficiency ... Read moreas essential but insufficient is critical for sustainable investments. So, it's important to understand that, in the end, it's the total water use what we are trying to reduce. Moreover, it is essential to adopt a holistic approach that avoids isolating water as if it were disconnected from other elements along the food supply chain. Water is unquestionably a necessary input for food security and systems, but further inputs such as seed, fertilizers, pesticides, soils, and virtual water should also be considered. When this package is put together, government, farmers, and the private sector come together to make better usage of all those resources combined. Regarding farmers, they must be acknowledged as the number one investor in food systems, and their agricultural water management practices ought not to be discounted. PPPs are an essential instrument within water and irrigation systems, but there has been a lack of innovative developments in that field. Furthermore, it is crucial to recognize that they are not the same as public-private dialogue, and there is a significant gap in the way this dialogue is being implemented. This is key to putting the "invisible" actors and factors in the spotlight, making water use more transparent to everybody in the system, help to understand who is affected, and creating synergies between isolated actions. This has proven to be effective in reducing social conflicts linked to water scarcity in Africa and India. In addition, efforts to spread and optimize the use of digital technology for sustainable management of water in what refers to monitoring and data-collection mechanisms are necessary for evidence-based decision making. These tools would help investors identify the direct and indirect impacts of their investments. This would be an excellent water governance approach. Furthermore, education efforts focused on stakeholders must be encouraged to promote sustainable water use because there is a widespread misunderstanding about the meaning and terminology within this topic, as it usually means different things to different people. When spreading awareness about water sustainability, it is essential to communicate it so the various stakeholders along the food supply chain and water streams can see themselves as beneficiaries. That is a great motivational force. Regarding the empowerment of women and youth, it is critical to give them leadership and responsibility by providing them with tools such as terms of reference and deliverables to help them mobilize and promote further engagement. Even though investments and related initiatives by different actors can optimize and foster sustainable water technologies and processes, the path to water security needs to rely on the right laws and institutions that work to ensure that water is sustainably managed. This must come alongside a series of region-specific or context-specific indicators, clearly indicating what each SDG, especially those relevant to food and water security, means for each regional setup in terms of investments. Global indicators are not enough. Read less

9. Innovation and data for water and food systems "Science, innovation, and data access from multiple disciplines and traditional knowledge are harnessed to increase the efficiency of water systems for food, sanitation, industry and the environment." Four distinct headings emerged from the discussions: 1. Data and information 1.1. Data must be made available to everyone at every level. With a large amount of data available from all kinds of sources, the challenge is to make it available and usable to all. A global, open data platform must be made available ASAP. 1.2. Availability of data shoul... Read mored be complemented by measures to make it usable by all that need and can benefit from it. Sophisticated processing, modeling, and analytics are currently not easily accessible nor have interoperability efforts resulted in a convergence. A deliberate and coordinated effort is needed to make this happen, with a slightly longer term than ASAP, perhaps 1-2 years. 1.3. Users of data must be bridged. Topic, sector, issue-based silos and fragmentation work against 1.1 and 1.2 and can undermine them. Bridging across these is fundamentally needed and must be explicitly addressed. 1.4. While the action by governments is essential, a strategic partnership bringing together the private sector, technology firms (including those doing analytics), and the scientific community must be sought from the beginning. Warning: sometimes, government-imposed technologies may be sub-optimal, outdated or biased (Central Asia is a historical example). 1.5. Farmers, with specific emphasis on smallholders, must be involved, including through a reformed/improved version of farmer field schools (FFS), which aims to ensure two-way communication, collective learning and co-design principles. 1.6. The work on data initiated by the High Level Panel on Water needs follow up and can serve/contribute to/complement the above. 2. Traditional knowledge and wisdom 2.1. Significant part of the traditional knowledge remains with communities that are detached from technology; bringing their wisdom to the benefit of the broader communities and making it accessible requires deliberate effort. Initiatives exist (UNESCO, FAO, ICID, academia, others?) but are not coordinated. This coordination can/must start ASAP. 2.2. Re-dissemination and incorporation of indigenous knowledge into policies and practices should be preceded by a validation process. Warning: Not all traditional knowledge is necessarily applicable or desirable. 2.3. Indigenous knowledge and disrupting technologies can harmonize. 2.4. The FFS described in 1.5 can serve the purposes of reaching out to and connecting with communities, validation, and re-dissemination. 3. Softer issues (policy, governance, nexus, equity) 3.1. Governance structures of the past century are fast becoming a barrier to technology and innovation: a reform is inevitable. 3.2. Policy innovation that is based on scientific soundness and that brings in private sector dynamism will trigger action in many domains involved. 3.3. Innovated policies and governance structures will allow for better management of competition across various nexus domains, highlight trade-offs and synergies, and reduce conflict risks. 3.4. Innovation should consistently look after gender equity and equality, smallholder farmers, and youth. 3.5. Innovation should be able to incorporate the fact that water in agriculture (and water for food security) is strongly linked to land tenure and distribution, climate change policies, energy security and urbanization policies. 4. Specific highlights 4.1. Disrupting technologies can make circular economy solutions cheaper (less investment), more profitable (better economic outcomes), more horizontally sustainable (across sectors/resources), and more modular. Support for RandD and start-ups essential. 4.2. Wastewater and water harvesting bear much promise. 4.3. Water quality (fit for purpose) is another highlighted topic. 4.4. Green energy solutions with water explicitly or implicitly incorporated. 4.5. ODF and multiple use of water are promising areas. Nepal serves as an example. Read less

There was no divergence among the participants of group 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The only divergence was among the participants of group 2: To a certain extent, participants diverged in terms of to what extent they thought the key issue was water scarcity vs. inefficient use of water. Those who framed the primary issue as inefficient use noted that technology and innovation could improve water-use efficiency and water productivity. These participants emphasized that increased demand for water and food required excess capacity. However, others framed the primary issue as one of water scarcit... Read morey, emphasizing an increased focus on sustainable consumption through awareness raising. For example, one participant noted that the agriculture sector focuses too heavily on measures that promote “more crop per drop” at the expense of generating awareness around sustainable consumption. Read less

The dialogue focused on the nexus between food systems and water systems, doing so in a way that acknowledges linkages to other systems that are fundamental to the SDGs (e.g. energy, climate, oceans). The discussion topics addressed this nexus from complementary perspectives: • The five Food Systems Summit Objectives and Action Tracks: o ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all, o shift to sustainable consumption patterns, o boost nature-positive production, o advance equitable livelihoods, and o build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stress. • Key themes and challenges r... Read moreelated to the water-food-energy nexus that are also emerging from dialogues held at regional and country levels, such as governance, cross-sectoral collaboration, investments and innovation and knowledge. Achieved outcomes The global dialogue contributed to the following outcomes: • Build awareness about the key role of water in sustainable and equitable food systems • Identify water-related propositions relevant to the five Food Systems Summit Action Tracks • Ensure water is considered as part of the major issues and recommendations that are taken to the Food Systems Summit through the various work streams (action tracks, levers of change, dialogues, scientific group) • Identify key issues regarding the nexus between water systems and food systems that should also be addressed in the water-related policy forums and agenda (e.g. 2023 United Nations Conference on the Midterm Review of the Water Action Decade) The 9 discussion topics were: 1. Food production increases and diversifies to meet growing demand for nutritious foods while minimizing water use and protecting freshwater sources in the context of climate change (thereby boosting water availability for other uses – domestic, industry, environment and livestock). 2. Water-related consumption patterns of all stakeholders in the food systems – from consumers to industry and producers – optimize water use (for processing and packaging, food loss and waste, etc.) to ensure sustainable access to clean water for healthy people and a healthy environment. 3. Integrated watershed and agro-ecosystem management allows access to safe (pollution-free) and sufficient water for food production and human consumption while preserving or regenerating environmental water requirements (forests, lakes, groundwater recharge). 4. The human right to water and sanitation and the right to food are achieved conjunctly by all people everywhere – in particular low-income households, marginalized groups, women and youth – having fair, sustainable and equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and water for food production, processing, and consumption including food safety. 5. The resilience of water systems in the face of climate change is strengthened to meet the competing demands of agriculture, domestic use, industry and environmental flows. 6. The cross-sectoral and transboundary strategies and cooperation required to ensure water-food-energy security for all and ensure environmental sustainability are in place (jointly managed systems minimize trade-off and maximize synergies). 7. The governance of water resources (in terms of policy coherence, institutional coordination and access rights) at multiple levels – farm, water basin, country, region – support equitable access to and sustainable use of water resources for food, health and energy. 8. The investments – public and private – required to optimize water use efficiency in our food systems and protection of water resources are mobilized and effectively used, and investments in unsustainable water uses discouraged. 9. Science, innovation, and data access from multiple disciplines and traditional knowledge are harnessed to increase the efficiency of water systems for food, sanitation, industry and the environment. Read less

In terms of recommendations for action, the following themes emerged across the discussion groups, demonstrating the inter-relations between all the discussion topics: No water = no food: Resolving issues around water scarcity, pollution and wastage is crucial for transforming food production and consumption. The demand for food is increasing: while almost 800 million people are currently hungry, by 2050 global food production would need to increase by 50% to feed the more than 9 billion people projected to live on our planet. However, the annual amount of available freshwater resources per pe... Read morerson has declined by more than 20% in the past two decades. Whether it is irrigation or whether it is the water we receive through rain-fed agriculture, water is one of the food systems elements that is most taken for granted. The way we value and manage water is central to how we make our food systems resilient and sustainable for future generations. Food loss and waste = water loss and waste: When water is wasted, food is wasted and when water is scarce, food is scarce. One-fourth of freshwater consumed in global food production is effectively wasted since the food produced with this water is never consumed. Reducing food loss and waste is a clear entry point to mitigate water scarcity. Reducing food loss and waste optimizes water use. Food producers = water managers: The way in which water is used in agriculture is no longer sustainable. We know that irrigation accounts for more than 70% of global water withdrawals. Farmers, with specific emphasis on smallholders, are essential actors and food producers are among the world’s most important water managers. Farmers could benefit from education programmes, including through an improved version of farmer field schools which aims to ensure two-way communication, collective learning and co-design principles. Technical solutions and innovation: Innovation should incorporate the fact that water in agriculture is strongly linked to land tenure and distribution, climate change policies, energy and urbanization policies. Innovative technologies are increasingly important to manage scarce water resources, e.g. desalinization, drip irrigation, harvesting rain water in the face of climate change to meet the competing demands of agriculture, domestic use and industry/energy requirements. Innovative policies will allow better management of competition across various nexus domains, highlight trade-offs and synergies, and reduce conflict risks. Regenerative agriculture, including the storage of water in the soil, seed selection, rebuilding soil biodiversity will improve the water cycling in agricultural systems. Safe wastewater reuse in agriculture is a promising solution particularly in peri-urban settings. Governance: Sustainable water use is enhanced by integration of all sectors in conservation including farmers, governments, the private sector and the general population. Governments would benefit from access to high-quality data to develop sustainable water policies. Good governance is essential to mitigate negative forces that impact water management through establishing policies and setting up regulatory frameworks that provide the right incentives. This requires a departure from the ‘sectoralist’ policies to embrace a cross-sectoral approach including food, health, energy and others. Even though investments can optimize and foster sustainable water technologies and processes, the path to water security needs to rely on the right laws and institutions that work to ensure that water sustainably. Inclusion: There is a need for an inclusive participatory process that gives a voice to marginalized and vulnerable communities, indigenous peoples and future generations. Such empowerment and the democratizing of decision and policymaking can foster the trust between relevant stakeholders that is required to leverage synergies and manage trade-offs between different interests, while ensuring that no-one is left behind. This implies a fundamental shift in the way water is valued, in which water not just understood as a commodity, but instead as core to life, livelihoods and culture. Significant part of the traditional knowledge remains with communities that are detached from technology and bringing their wisdom to the benefit of the broader communities and making it accessible requires deliberate effort. Investments: Investments link to many themes above; e.g. investments in technology that helps manage water better, but need for a governance context that guides investments. This must come alongside a series of region-specific or context-specific indicators, indicating what each SDG, especially those relevant to food and water security, means for each regional setup in terms of investments. Investments can play a significant role in improving water security by recognizing the economic value of water, which should be an essential component for investment mechanisms. Public-Private Partnerships are an essential instrument within water and irrigation systems, but there has been a lack of innovative developments in that field. These tools would help investors identifying the direct and indirect impacts of their investments. The value/role of aquatic foods should also be considered. Connections between biodiversity and ecosystems and the benefits you can get from having a water management scheme need more attention. Read less

1. Ensuring access to safe and nutritious food and safe water "Food production increases and diversifies to meet growing demand for nutritious foods while minimizing water use and protecting freshwater sources in the context of climate change (thereby boosting water availability for other uses - domestic, industry, environment, and livestock)." The discussion group was quite diverse in terms of gender, country, expertise, and stakeholders ranged from youth to seniors, innovators, public and private sector representatives, and international organisations. The group attempted to answer the provi... Read moreded questions with focus on ensuring access to safe and nutritious food and safe water. There was clear consensus on the: • need to foster connection between the food and the water systems; • lack of understanding of the value of water (freshwater system); • mismatch on how to treat the natural resources and freshwater in relation to food system; • food production misses a system approach understanding and implementation; • lack of data to better understand the system; • need for mapping our understanding and natural process, regardless of the many solutions that exist; • lack or harmonization of the legal dimension (water law, management, protection, governance, etc.); • need to shift as users and consumers our interactions with water and food systems (improve efficiency and productivity and reduce waste); and • need for higher inclusion of local communities, youth, indigenous populations, etc. In response to the above, the group highlighted a number of actions: • Map freshwater systems for greater understanding • Understand the status of irrigation systems as most water consumers • Actively engage local communities, youth, and women in the design, development, and implementation of solutions and interventions • Promote innovation, technologies, and smart agriculture to save water for safe food • Promote and establish the legal protection of water bodies, similar to forest protection • Raise government awareness of systemic approach • Promote the recycling and reuse of each water drop to improve its value • Produce nutritious food: shift from cropping food to nutritious food Surprisingly, no areas of divergence amongst participants were identified. The group was able to connect its thoughts and ideas to focus on the problem and proposed solutions. Read less