Given at Stockholm World Water Week on 27 August, 2019 by Stineke Oenema, this presentation looks at the links between nutrition and access to fresh water in relation to achieving the SDGs.

1. 27 August 2019
World Water Week
Harmonizing the United Nations
Action Decades for Water and
Nutrition
Stineke Oenema, UNSCN Coordinator

2. CONTEXT
BACKGROUND OF THE WATER AND NUTRITION
WATER DECADES
• International Decade (2018-2028) for Action - Water for
Sustainable Development
• Following the success of the “Water for Life” Decade (2005-2015)
• Concerns about water safety and water disasters related to climate
• Water stated as critical to eradicate hunger and poverty
• Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025)
• Progress were lacking in achieving food and nutrition security
• Aims to accelerate the implementation of ICN2 recommendations
• SDG 2 and 3 are central, SDG 6 is included
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3. CONTEXT
OVERVIEW OF WATER RESOURCES AND FOOD AND
NUTRITION STATUS (1)
• Water resources status …
→ Distribution of freshwater resources differs significantly around the world
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Per capita water availability, 2005
Note: Calculated as population divided by internal renewable water resources.
Source: IFPRI IMPACT [calculated June 20, 2019].

4. CONTEXT
OVERVIEW OF WATER RESOURCES AND FOOD AND
NUTRITION STATUS (2)
• … food security and nutrition status
→ 1/3 people are malnourished, heading to 1/2
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In 2018 Children under 5 Adults
Men Women
Stunting 149 M (22%)
Wasting 50 M (7.4%)
Overweight/Obesity 6% overweight 13% obese (↗)
Micronutrient deficiency
Health and development
consequences
1/3 with anaemia
food insecure
800 M
(↗)
822 M
undernourished
(↗ from 797 M in 2016)
2 B
Micronutrient
deficient
2 B
Over-
consume
Poverty closely intertwined with
food insecurity and malnutrition
Women’s full production
potential underutilized

5. CONTEXT
OVERVIEW OF WATER RESOURCES AND FOOD AND
NUTRITION STATUS (3)
• Mutual pressure of water availability and food demand
• Agriculture = biggest water user / use expected to keep growing of an
estimated 15% between 2010 and 2050
• Most agriculture is rainfed agriculture
→ Depends a lot on local climate conditions …
• Meanwhile, food demand keeps growing
→ Current water and food challenges: Not on track to achieve SDG 2 and
SDG 6
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6. WATER-NUTRITIONLINKAGES
THE LINKAGES BETWEEN WATER AND FOOD
SECURITY AND NUTRITION (1)
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Source: HLPE, 2015

7. BRINGINGDECADESTOGETHER
HARMONIZING THE UNITED NATIONS DECADES OF
ACTION ON NUTRITION AND WATER (1)
• Ensure nutrition amid growing water stress (competition,
demand and pollution) and climate change
• Competition for water between households and ecosystems
• Household water availability indicator shows significant
association between household water and food insecurity
• Climate change disturbs water-related ecosystems and food
production (Crops, Fisheries, Livestock)
• Wastewater is a valuable (sometimes the only) source of water,
nutrients and organic matter for farmers, but is often untreated …
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8. BRINGINGDECADESTOGETHER
HARMONIZING THE UNITED NATIONS DECADES OF
ACTION ON NUTRITION AND WATER (1)
• Nutrition-sensitive agricultural water management
• Nutrition sensitivity of water management is not only about irrigation
• Most agriculture is rainfed, supplemented rainfed may help to expand
crop diversity or crop season.
→ Consider diversification and better utilisation of crops, and income
• Need for better water management for nutrition via rainfed agriculture
supported by supplemental irrigation
→ Joint action at farm household, community and government level
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9. BRINGINGDECADESTOGETHER
HARMONIZING THE UNITED NATIONS DECADES OF
ACTION ON NUTRITION AND WATER (4)
• Ensure the environmental sustainability of diets
• Limited knowledge on water use for food production, processing
and preparation
• Food availability increases. Yet, 30% of food are lost or wasted
→ Overuse and waste of water resources
→ Need to coordinate SDG 12, 2 and 6 : Five transformative
strategies documented by the EAT- Lancet Commission
→ Develop dietary guidelines that include sustainability criteria
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10. BRINGINGDECADESTOGETHER
HARMONIZING THE UNITED NATIONS DECADES OF
ACTION ON NUTRITION AND WATER (5)
• Account for gender and other social dimensions in water-
nutrition linkages
• Nutritional and water needs depend on gender and period of life
course (critical during the first 1000 days)
• Make further advances on social dimensions in nutrition and water
communities
• Give access to WASH and irrigation system to the excluded
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In charge of
- many water-intensive chores
- water collection
→
Lack of time and energy
Childcare practices
- quality of breastfeeding
- time for healthy food preparation
→

11. CONCLUSIONS
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Summarizing: Entry points to close the water nutrition gap
• Develop nutrition sensitive water management
• Support sustainable and healthy diets
• Integrate social and gender dimensions
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12. UNSCN Secretariat
E-mail: scn@fao.org
Internet: www.unscn.org
c/o FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00153 Rome, Italy
UNSCN vision
A world free from hunger and all forms of malnutrition is attainable in this generation