Water productivity, the yield gap, and nutrition

Lundqvist, Jan., Malmquist, L., Dias, P., Barron, J., Wakeyo, M. B.

Water productivity, the yield gap, and nutrition

The case of Ethiopia

Year of publication 2021

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 82 p.

Author Lundqvist, Jan., Malmquist, L., Dias, P., Barron, J., Wakeyo, M. B.

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (series)

ISBN 978-92-5-134145-2

Series title FAO Land and Water Discussion Papers

Series number ISSN 1729 0554

Edition 1

Full item page

Synopsis (short abstract) The report uses a nutritional water productivity (NWP) framework to interpret the relationship between nutrition and water in the context of water challenges. It argues that higher yields – of both staple and nutritious crops – are possible, even in water-stressed areas. This will require an agricultural transformation that ensures that efforts to enhance water productivity are linked to the promotion of healthy diets. Increasing water productivity and stabilizing yields at realistic levels will also be crucial to increasing the resilience of farmers. Better coordination and timing of water and other inputs, notably fertilizers and improved seeds, is likely to enhance productivity and to reduce the threats of a further encroachment of agriculture into other ecosystems. A diversified production system is required for food security, nutrition and poverty alleviation. There is an opportunity to provide strategic support for crops and other farm produce with high economic and nutritional value. A range of crops and other produce can be included in farming systems ranging from rainfed to irrigated agriculture. For the farmers to be stimulated and able to capitalize on the increasing need and demand for such produce, the development of markets, and associated investments in cold storage, roads/transport and food procurement programmes that prioritize nutritious produce will be key.

Cite this content as:

Lundqvist, Jan., Malmquist, L., Dias, P., Barron, J. and Wakeyo, M. B. 2021. Water productivity, the yield gap, and nutrition.The case of Ethiopia. FAO Land and Water Discussion Paper No. 17. Rome, FAO.

https://doi.org/10.4060/cb3866en

Read on Google Books and buy online

Language English

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

Book (stand-alone)

Proceedings of the FAO/WHO International Symposium on sustainable food systems for healthy diets and improved nutrition
1-2 December, 2016, Rome, Italy
2018

Also available in:

No results found.

In December 2016, FAO and WHO convened an International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition, gathering delegates from 90 UN Member States representatives of intergovernmental organizations, private-sector entities, civil society organizations, academia/research organizations and producer organizations/cooperatives. The symposium aimed to increase awareness of today’s urgent food and nutrition challenges, and to create a forum to discuss strategies for regulation and reform, in the aftermath of the ICN2 and under the umbrella of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025. Nine parallel sessions comprising expert presentations and country case studies were complemented by a session on the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition, a student’s session, plenary and special events. These proceedings include summaries of the parallel sessions, summaries and transcriptions from the plenary and Decade of Action sessions, to contribute to better-informed, accelerated action at national, regional and global levels on the urgent need to improve the human and environmental health of food systems worldwide and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Book (series)

Measuring progress towards sustainable agriculture 2021

Also available in:

No results found.

This paper presents a new methodological approach aimed at measuring progress towards sustainable agriculture in countries and across agri-food systems typologies, by measuring socio-economic and environmental dimensions with available national statistics, with sixteen indicators defined and constructed from FAOSTAT data. A trend analysis is carried out at country level over the time series 1961-2018, with country results aggregated by four agri-food systems typologies: traditional; land-intensive and capital-intensive mixed systems; and modern food systems. The analysis provides a novel framework for the analysis of progress in achieving sustainable agriculture by country and agri-food system type, that can be implemented effectively and allows for exploring solutions across development pathways.
Book (stand-alone)
CFS 2019/46/Inf.17 - Agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition
jul/19
2019

Also available in:

French

Food systems and agriculture are at a crossroads and a profound transformation is needed at all scales, not only to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) to “end hunger and all forms of malnutrition” by 2030 but also to address Agenda 2030 in its entirety, including human and environmental health, climate change, equity and social stability. Current trends, such as the new increase, since 2014, in the number of undernourished people and the alarming rate of all forms of malnutrition in all countries, and related tensions will be exacerbated if we fail to design and implement, in a very near future, food systems that ensure food security and nutrition while addressing all sustainability challenges. Agroecological and other innovative approaches in agriculture are increasingly praised for their potential contribution to reach these crucial goals. This report adopts a dynamic perspective, centred on the key concepts of transition and transformation. Ultimately, this rich and comprehensive report aims to fuel an exciting policy convergence process and help remove the lock-ins by developing a common understanding of these matters, so that concrete transition pathways can be implemented at all relevant scales, from farm, community and landscape to national, regional and global levels.