The United Nations Special Envoy on Water has said constructive action to ensure sustainable soil and water management should be a high political priority for all member states.
Retno Marsudi, a former Indonesian foreign minister and the UN's newly appointed special envoy on water, was in Bangkok on Monday as a key speaker at the International Soil and Water Forum.
The event was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, with the aim of raising discussions between agencies on how to manage these two natural resources to ensure food security and sustainability.
According to Ms Retno, 70% of freshwater worldwide is used in agriculture. Thus, she said, it is feared that people around the globe could be facing water scarcity by 2050 when the world's population has increased and requires more water withdrawals in agricultural production.
She said such a development would hit developing countries the hardest as 80% of their population's livelihood depends on water because agriculture is their main employment sector.
She noted that water stress would leave 170 million people in low-income countries undernourished.
"Soon after, it will hit the developed countries," she added.
Ms Retno said urgent action is needed, but the effort must be considered an investment in the future, not a burden. She said that knowledge to boost agricultural efficiency, including technology and AI, must be available to all.
"We need concrete deliverables and to take action now," she said.
Narumon Pinyosinwat, Thailand's agriculture and cooperatives minister, said that soil and water are the foundation of the agricultural system and biodiversity.
However, natural threats and human activities have contributed to a decrease in soil fertility, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, and increasing vulnerabilities to natural disasters.
"We must recognise that no single country or organisation can address these issues alone as these problems require global and multidisciplinary approaches," she added.
