Science, digital data and innovative agricultural practices are gaining importance in efforts to conserve water, strengthen farming resilience and build sustainable food systems. The FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2026 will bring experts together to explore practical solutions for managing agricultural water more effectively.

Water Management Becomes Critical for the Future of Agriculture

Water is one of the most important resources in food production, yet farmers worldwide are facing growing pressure from water scarcity, unpredictable rainfall, declining groundwater reserves and climate change. As demand for food increases, improving the way water is used in agriculture is becoming essential to protecting livelihoods and ensuring reliable food supplies.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is placing this challenge at the centre of an upcoming discussion at its Science and Innovation Forum 2026 (SIF 2026). The session, titled “Towards Water-Efficient Agrifood Systems That Deliver Food Security for All,” is scheduled for 15 October 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Rome time, at FAO headquarters in Rome, with a webcast available online.

The discussion will examine how scientific research, reliable data and practical innovations can help countries improve agricultural water management without compromising food production or the needs of communities and ecosystems.

Why Agricultural Water Efficiency Matters

Agriculture accounts for approximately 72% of global freshwater withdrawals, making it the largest user of freshwater worldwide. Irrigation plays a major role in this demand, while millions of people living in agricultural areas face serious water constraints.

In many regions, farmers must produce crops under increasingly difficult conditions. Rainfall patterns are becoming less predictable, droughts can disrupt planting and harvesting, and groundwater resources may be depleted faster than they can naturally recover.

These pressures can affect crop yields, increase production costs and threaten the incomes of rural households. They can also influence food prices and make nutritious food less accessible to vulnerable populations.

Improving water efficiency can help farmers obtain greater agricultural value from available resources. However, the challenge involves more than simply installing efficient irrigation equipment. Water must be managed carefully across farms, communities, river basins and groundwater systems.

Science and Data Can Support Better Decisions

The SIF 2026 session will explore several approaches that can help governments, researchers and farmers make informed decisions about agricultural water use.

1. Satellite Technology and Water Productivity

Satellite-based remote sensing can help monitor agricultural conditions over large areas. By examining information about vegetation, land surfaces and water use, researchers can assess crop performance and identify areas where water management could be improved.

These insights may help agricultural authorities evaluate irrigation performance, identify water stress and understand how productivity changes under different environmental conditions.

When combined with local observations and reliable field data, satellite information can support more targeted agricultural planning.

2. Groundwater Monitoring

Groundwater is an important source of irrigation for farmers in many countries. However, excessive extraction can place long-term pressure on aquifers and threaten the availability of water for future generations.

Monitoring groundwater levels and extraction patterns can help authorities understand whether water use is sustainable. Such information can support decisions about irrigation planning, groundwater protection and the allocation of limited resources.

3. Modernising Irrigation Systems

Traditional irrigation methods can lose water through evaporation, runoff and inefficient distribution. Modern systems, including well-designed drip and sprinkler irrigation, can help deliver water more precisely when used under suitable local conditions.

Yet technology alone is not enough. The benefits depend on crop selection, soil characteristics, irrigation scheduling, maintenance and the availability of reliable information.

Water savings must also be assessed at a wider scale. If farmers use more efficient systems but respond by expanding irrigated land or increasing water-intensive production, total water consumption may not decline. This is why farm-level improvements need to be considered alongside water use across entire river basins.

4. Improving Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting can provide an additional source of water for households and agricultural communities, particularly in areas where rainfall is seasonal or water infrastructure is limited.

Appropriately designed storage systems can help communities capture rainfall for later use. Their effectiveness depends on local rainfall patterns, storage capacity, maintenance and the intended use of the collected water.

The FAO session will draw on practical experiences, including household rainwater harvesting programmes in Brazil, to explore how such approaches can contribute to more resilient agricultural systems.

Climate Change Adds to the Challenge

Climate change is increasing uncertainty in agricultural water availability. Some regions experience prolonged dry periods, while others face intense rainfall, flooding and damage to agricultural infrastructure.

These conditions can disrupt planting calendars, damage crops and make it harder for farmers to plan irrigation requirements. Small-scale producers can be particularly vulnerable when they lack access to storage facilities, affordable technologies, financial resources or reliable weather information.

Climate-resilient water management therefore requires a combination of infrastructure, scientific knowledge and local experience.

Farmers may benefit from drought-tolerant crop varieties, improved soil management, rainwater storage, better irrigation scheduling and early-warning systems. The most suitable combination will vary according to local climate, soil, crops and water availability.

Protecting Food Security While Conserving Water

Water efficiency is closely connected to food security because agricultural production depends on reliable access to water. When water supplies become insufficient or unpredictable, farmers may experience lower yields, reduced incomes and greater uncertainty about future harvests.

Sustainable water management can help address these risks, but conservation policies must also consider the needs of farming communities.

Smallholder farmers often have limited access to finance, technical advice and modern equipment. Without appropriate support, new technologies may remain beyond their reach.

Governments and development partners can help by investing in rural infrastructure, strengthening agricultural extension services, improving access to climate information and supporting affordable water-saving technologies.

Policies must also recognise that water serves multiple purposes. Agriculture, households, industry and ecosystems all depend on water resources. Effective planning therefore requires cooperation among the different groups that use and manage water.

Lessons from Brazil and Malawi

The FAO discussion will examine practical experiences that can help identify conditions for successful water-management programmes.

Alongside household rainwater harvesting in Brazil, the session will consider irrigation development in Malawi. These examples provide opportunities to discuss how water-related interventions can be implemented at scale and how their benefits can reach different groups of users.

The broader lesson is that successful programmes require more than technical solutions. They also need suitable governance, long-term financing, reliable monitoring, community participation and attention to how water resources are distributed.

A programme that improves agricultural productivity but places excessive pressure on groundwater may create new problems. Similarly, infrastructure that benefits only a limited group of producers may fail to address the wider needs of a community.

Sustainable water policy must therefore balance agricultural production, environmental protection and equitable access.

What to Expect from SIF 2026

The FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2026 will take place from 12 to 16 October 2026, bringing together scientists, policymakers, innovators, farmers’ organisations, researchers and other stakeholders in Rome and online. The wider forum will focus on using science, technology and innovation to create more efficient, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems.

The water-efficiency session will bring together specialists working in agricultural water management, groundwater, irrigation, food systems and related fields.

Participants will examine evidence from different approaches, discuss knowledge gaps and consider priorities for future action. The session is also expected to contribute to a co-authored synthesis paper and policy brief that can inform future international discussions on water and sustainable agriculture.

The discussion offers an opportunity to connect scientific findings with the practical decisions made by farmers, water managers and governments.

The Road Ahead: Producing More with Sustainable Water Use

Improving agricultural water efficiency will require sustained cooperation among governments, scientific institutions, farmers, technology developers and local communities.

Better irrigation systems, satellite monitoring, groundwater data, rainwater harvesting and improved agricultural practices can all contribute to progress. Their success, however, will depend on whether they are adapted to local conditions and supported by effective policies.

Water efficiency should not be measured only by how much water a single farm saves. Decision-makers must also consider total water consumption, the condition of rivers and aquifers, agricultural productivity and the needs of communities that depend on the same resources.

As food systems face increasing pressure from population needs, environmental change and resource constraints, responsible water management will remain central to sustainable agriculture.

The SIF 2026 discussion aims to strengthen understanding of how evidence and innovation can support this transition. Its central challenge is clear: how can the world produce enough nutritious food while managing water resources responsibly and ensuring that the benefits reach everyone?

Finding practical answers will be essential to building agricultural systems that are productive today and resilient for generations to come.