Building water resilience and climate change adaptation require collective commitment

Water is life. For Sri Lanka, the theme for this year’s World Food Day, which celebrates this most essential of resources, is especially resonant. In its abundance, water has been crucial to Sri Lanka’s progress, and without it – as climate change increases temperatures, disrupts rainfall patterns and dries up water bodies, and a growing population puts pressure on a depleting water table – the country cannot continue to grow. Today, Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads and its choice to adopt innovative, sustainable practices, particularly for agriculture and water management, will shape its future.

It should be clear by now that there is no trade-off between sustainable, climate-sensitive practices and economic growth. For people, for profit, for planet – for our continued prosperity – we must embrace sustainable practices, including and especially in agriculture. As Sri Lanka rebounds from recent crises, it could embrace innovative approaches to revolutionise agriculture, food production, and water management, prioritising long-term sustainability, ensuring food security for all its citizens and setting an example for other countries.

Water could be the right place to start, given that it affects every other sector. Sri Lanka, while rich in water resources, has faced challenges in water management. In a 2021 report by FAO and UN Water, Sri Lanka was classified as ‘highly water stressed’ with a 90.8% indicator, which means that the country is consuming 90.8% of its total available renewable freshwater resources at present apart from environmental needs. Questions about the country’s water in terms of quality, quantity and salinity intrusion, how to ensure an uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water during droughts, how to expand production capacity and reduce stress on water resources, and how to arrest the deterioration of water quality are key. 

Unpredictability induced by climate change will exacerbate these vulnerabilities in Sri Lanka’s water infrastructure, with devastating consequences for lives and livelihoods – and on food security. The path to reduce water stress passes through sustainable agri-food systems. Already, extreme weather events such as droughts and floods are leading to significant drops in crop production and rising food insecurity, especially among the rural poor. Four out of 10 people still do not have access to pipe-borne water and the dry and intermediate zones. This represents 70% of the land area and provide employment to nearly 30% of the country’s population – most often in agriculture – who experience acute water shortages due to intermittent droughts, some of which can continue for over two years.

Building water resilience and climate change adaptation is therefore critical – but this transformative shift requires a collective commitment: it cannot happen without the active support and collaboration of all stakeholders, including farmers, consumers, the private sector, the government, the media, and the nation’s young people. The United Nations and particularly its food agencies are well-positioned to support Sri Lanka in this transition. 

Several initiatives are already yielding positive results. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is actively promoting sustainable paddy cultivation by supporting 6,000 paddy farmers adopt modern approaches that utilise less chemical fertilisers while increasing crop yields and reducing environmental impact. Additionally, FAO champions Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) across several key crops, benefiting both farmers and the environment by reducing chemical inputs, water pollution, and preserving natural resources for a healthier and more sustainable ecosystem. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is currently working with the Department of Agrarian Development in the country’s dry zones to support tank cascade systems for water management in three ecologically and socially vulnerable river basins, rehabilitating them so that farmers can cultivate during both Yala and Maha seasons. 

The World Food Programme (WFP) provides emergency preparedness and response support to help the government prepare for and mitigate the impact of recurring climate shocks. This includes helping national and subnational agencies prepare for the monsoon rains, using early warning systems and other tools to prevent hazards from turning into disasters, while ensuring that people’s access to food is not interrupted.

Everyone must have access to sustainable water and sanitation services, now and in the future. Indeed, ensuring the well-being of future generations hinges on adopting sustainable practices today. Sri Lanka owes it to its youth to make this transformative shift. Young people can be powerful agents of change, driving innovation and advocating for a more sustainable and equitable future.

In Sri Lanka, where the connection between water, food, and sustainability is undeniable, this World Food Day serves as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility. By embracing sustainable practices in agriculture and water management, Sri Lanka can not only secure its food future but also inspire the world with a model of harmonious coexistence with our planet’s limited resources. It’s a journey that demands unity, collaboration, and a shared vision—a journey that, when undertaken together, holds the promise of a brighter and more sustainable future for all. Let us not leave anyone behind on this transformative path towards food security and sustainability.

(Vimlendra Sharan is the Representative, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Sherina Tabassum is the Country Director – International Fund for Agricultural Development, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and Abdur Rahim Siddiqui is Representative and Country Director, World Food Programme Sri Lanka.)