A shift in rainfall can turn a field into a drought zone or floodplain, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu warned in Rome at the 2026 World Food Forum. Recent El Niño events have shown how quickly those changes can damage crops, kill livestock and cost human lives.
The warning came during a high-level session of the Rome Water Dialogue 2026. Water is already under pressure, and agriculture must compete for it with households, industry and the natural world. Qu said stronger food security depends on using water more efficiently, sharing it more fairly and changing how farming and water systems are managed. “Water security is food security. Water is food. Water is life. We cannot achieve one without the other.”
He urged countries to adopt the 4R approach: reduce, reuse, recycle and replenish. The goal is to produce more and better food with less water, while limiting harm to water resources. Qu said four priorities need to move forward together: improving water efficiency with innovation, reliable data and clear accounting; ensuring dependable access for small-scale producers, women, Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable communities; preparing for droughts and floods with early warnings and risk planning; and protecting forests, rivers, lakes, soils and other ecosystems that help regulate water cycles.
That combination matters, he said, because saving water alone is not enough if the benefits do not reach people who need it. Healthy ecosystems and viable livelihoods are also necessary for lasting resilience. Through its Framework for Integrated Land and Water Resources Management, FAO supports countries in improving water productivity and making food systems better able to withstand shocks.
The dialogue also examined water pricing and allocation. Qu said good public policy and suitable incentives can encourage efficient use, while protecting basic needs and vulnerable communities. Water governance, he added, should account for water’s cultural, social, economic and environmental value. FAO’s Global Dialogue on Water Tenure, launched at the 2022 UN Water Conference, brings together country assessments and consultations with different groups to develop guidance rooted in local conditions. The agency says it will keep supporting countries with water tenure assessments, water accounting and National Water Roadmaps, as well as partnerships among governments, farmers, researchers and others.
FAO also introduced a digital platform to help governments decide where irrigation is feasible, needed and likely to bring sustainable benefits. The Mapping of Irrigation Potential and Needs Initiative, or IRMA, combines information on current irrigation, land and climate suitability, development needs and expected benefits. Countries can use it to compare agricultural areas and set priorities. FAO says evidence-based planning can help align irrigation projects with national goals, improve coordination between water and agriculture agencies, and reduce financial and environmental risks.
The message from Rome was that water security cannot be treated as a single-sector problem. By linking fair access, better planning, preparedness and healthy ecosystems, countries can make water management more supportive of both farms and the people who depend on them.