Meeting of agriculture ministers – group photo/Credit: Messe Berlin
20 January 2026
Water stress is one of the greatest threats of the 21st century: More than two billion people worldwide already suffer from water scarcity. The situation is exacerbated by climate change and the overuse and pollution of water resources.
Agriculture is particularly affected – not least because it accounts for 72 percent of global freshwater consumption. And water demand will continue to rise, as the United Nations estimates that more than ten billion people will need to be provided with food and drinking water by 2050.
So how can we ensure the sustainable use of increasingly scarce global water resources so that all people can realize their right to adequate food and access to clean water? And how can competing water resources be resolved and global water resilience strengthened? These questions were at the heart of the 18th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), which brought together some 2,000 international representatives from politics and business, science, and civil society in Berlin from January 14 to 17. In 16 expert panels and three high-level panels, they discussed these issues with around 120 panelists, exchanged experiences, and used the GFFA networking platform to learn about forward-looking projects and practical solutions.
“Without water, there is no food security. It’s as simple and as stark as it is true.” With these words, Martina Englhardt-Kopf, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, opened the GFFA. As one of the world’s largest users of water, agriculture bears a special responsibility. It must operate in a resource-efficient and climate-friendly manner, while simultaneously securing incomes and creating added value in the regions. “The challenges of water management are global and require global solutions,” emphasized the Parliamentary State Secretary. This makes formats like the GFFA even more important, as they bring together stakeholders from all regions of the world and all disciplines to work together on these solutions.
The critical importance of water stress for the African continent was explained by Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment of the African Union (AU), at the AU High-Level Panel. Only six percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s arable land is irrigated (compared to over 35 percent in Asia), while the remaining 94 percent relies entirely on rainwater. For millions of smallholder farmers, this means uncertain harvests due to inclement weather and the increasingly catastrophic consequences of climate change. Closing the irrigation gap would require 65 billion US dollars over the next five years. “Investing in water should not be seen as a cost factor, but rather as a catalyst for growth, resilience, and peace,” Vilakati asserted.
In the subsequent discussion, all panelists emphasized the need for integrated water resource management – a holistic approach that, in line with the 2030 Agenda, considers ecological, economic, and social needs equally. The key elements were summarized by Mark Smith, Director General of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI): applying innovative technologies, using data wisely, regulating water use, curbing water pollution, providing sufficient funding and investment opportunities, and guaranteeing inclusion. “We need a systemic approach,” Smith argued.
Government representatives present described how this can look in practice. Botswana, for example, has adapted its agricultural strategy and aims to achieve climate resilience through measures including rainwater harvesting systems, conservation tillage, and the cultivation of drought-resistant crops such as millet. Groundwater infiltration is also being promoted. “Furthermore, we are limiting water consumption through licensing,” said Edwin Dikoloti, Minister of Soil and Agriculture of the Republic of Botswana.
These measures are being implemented in practice. “Our king wants 100 percent of the country’s drinking water needs and 90 percent of its agricultural needs to be met domestically,” reported Zakaria El Yaakoubi, Secretary General for Rural Development at the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture. To achieve this, a long-term national water strategy has been developed and a comprehensive public investment program launched. Through the construction and expansion of infrastructure, the country now has a water network with more than 155 large dams. Other elements of the strategy include wastewater reuse and the construction of seawater desalination plants, which, due to their high costs, are only used for profitable crops. The use of drip irrigation has also been promoted through training programs and financial incentives. The ministry relies on public-private partnerships to implement these measures.
Without such partnerships, the often-high costs of such measures are usually insurmountable. However, governments must first do their homework, demanded Ibrahima Coulibaly, Vice President of the Pan-African Farmers Organization (PAFO), referring to the underfunded agricultural sector on his continent. “Only six percent of farmers have access to loans from the African Development Bank. This makes agriculture not only an insecure business but also unattractive to young people.” The farmers’ association representative pointed out that African countries committed themselves to investing ten percent of their budgets in agriculture through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), but—except for Morocco—no country has achieved this. “The technical solutions are there, but the political will to implement them is lacking,” criticized Coulibaly.
The geopolitical significance of water was the focus of the High-Level Panel at the Munich Security Conference, which was held for the third consecutive year as part of the GFFA. “Water is the foundation of all security issues,” said Markus Schick, State Secretary at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMLEH), at the start of the event. Insufficient access to water repeatedly leads to political disputes and even conflicts. And not only that: water is increasingly being used deliberately as an instrument of warfare. “Saddam Hussein had the marshlands in Iraq drained as revenge for the Shiite uprising, and today water infrastructure is being deliberately destroyed in armed conflicts, for example in Syria and Ukraine,” said Ambika Vishwanath, Research Fellow at La Trobe University in Australia, citing examples. She also pointed to the increasing number of cyberattacks on water supply networks, for example in Florida, Scandinavia, and recently in Australia.
Water is a resource particularly prone to conflict because rivers cross borders. Water extraction or pollution in one country therefore also has consequences for users in another, which makes the exchange of knowledge and data and cross-border cooperation especially important. One example of successful cooperation is the Mekong River Commission, founded in 1995, which supports collaboration between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam in managing the lower Mekong Delta. Another is the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, established in 1950 by the Rhine riparian states of Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. “These committees are very important for peace,” asserted Meike van Ginneken, the Dutch government’s water management commissioner.
The political highlight of the GFFA was the 18th Berlin Conference of Agriculture Ministers, where Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer welcomed 61 counterparts from around the world, as well as representatives from 14 international organizations to Berlin. In her keynote address, the UN Special Envoy for Water, Retno L. P. Marsudi, emphasized that agriculture is at the forefront of achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to provide clean water and sanitation for all people. “Farmers are not only producers but also stewards of this most vital resource for humanity,” the UN Special Envoy stated. She added, “We must decide how much water we use, how much we pollute, how much we waste, and how much we leave for future generations.”
Olesia Shakalo-Olshanetska from Ukraine and Lucas Vidal Podestá from Argentina picked up the thread. At the invitation of the German Federal Minister of Agriculture, they had met with 18 other young farmers from around the world at the International Young Farmers Forum 2026 in the lead-up to the GFFA (Global Forum for Young Farmers). The forum aimed to share their perspectives on the future of agricultural and food systems and to contribute their experiences regarding water to the GFFA discussions. In their statement, they criticized the globally unequal access farmers have to essential resources and technologies and condemned acts of war, particularly those targeting water infrastructure and harming farming communities and civilians. They expressed their desire to be recognized by the ministers present as key players in sustainable water use – the foundation for productive agriculture and food security. Furthermore, they called for greater support to gain more influence in political decision-making processes, both nationally and internationally.
Federal Minister Rainer promised to take the impetus from the young farmers’ declaration and emphasized the commitment of all his ministerial colleagues to advocate for global water governance. “The Conference of Agriculture Ministers is a place for building bridges, not divides,” the minister stated.
In their final communiqué, the agriculture ministers pledged to promote more efficient water use in agriculture while simultaneously supporting measures for flood risk management. They also underscored the role of forests in maintaining the stability of the water cycle and the need to reduce water pollution. Key elements to be promoted include the collection and use of data, the development of effective early warning systems, and international cooperation in research, capacity building, and technology transfer. Renewable energy solutions should be explicitly recognized as key elements for effective water management.
In line with the GFFA Communiqué 2025 on the bioeconomy, the ministers emphasize the potential of the blue bioeconomy for food security, income diversification for local communities, the protection of traditional knowledge, and the conservation of aquatic genetic resources. Sustainable and inclusive value chains should be created, utilizing previously underutilized resources such as algae and residual feedstocks from fisheries and aquaculture.
With reference to the United Nations General Assembly’s 2010 recognition of the human rights to water and sanitation, the ministers commit to supporting equitable participation and access to water for vulnerable and underrepresented groups, including smallholder farmers, indigenous communities, women, and young people. They aim to ensure that farmers have the right tools and resources to produce food sustainably with increasingly scarce water resources. They also intend to advocate for strengthening the voice of agriculture in the run-up to the UN Water Framework Conference in December 2026 and for the sector’s greater integration into global water policy.
“I am pleased that today Berlin is making a clear commitment that agriculture is not the problem, but rather a central part of the solution for sustainable water use,” said Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer at the close of the conference. “Agriculture belongs at the table of global water policy – not on the sidelines, but at the heart of the debate.”
The Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) has been held annually since 2009 as part of the International Green Week. At this high-profile conference, experts from around the world meet to find solutions to key challenges facing global agriculture and food security.
GFFA 2026: Thinking about water and food security together. Photo: Messe Berlin
About the Green Week
The Green Week is one of Germany’s most traditional trade fairs and best-known events. Founded in 1926 in Berlin during the Roaring Twenties, it is unique as the leading international trade fair for food, agriculture, and horticulture. Exhibitors from all over the world present a comprehensive range of products over ten days. The Green Week also provides a platform for current social issues such as climate protection, the circular economy, resource conservation, and sustainable land use. The Green Week is the starting point for the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA). The GFFA is the leading international conference on key future issues facing the global agricultural and food industry. A highlight is the meeting of over 70 agriculture ministers.
The 90th edition of the Green Week will take place from January 16 to 25, 2026, celebrating its 100th anniversary.
About Messe Berlin
Berlin has been a trade fair location for 200 years, and for many decades, one of the most important in the world. As a state-owned trade fair company, Messe Berlin designs, markets, and organizes hundreds of live events every year. Its aim is to be an outstanding host to visitors at all events, to provide the best possible business opportunities, and to guarantee fair conditions for everyone. This self-image is reflected in the company motto: Messe Berlin – Hosting the World.
SOURCE: Messe Berlin