An ecosystem services approach to water and food security

Recognising healthy ecosystems as the basis for sustainable water resources and stable food security can help produce more food from each unit of agricultural land, improve resilience to climate change and provide economic benefits for poor communities, according to a new report from the UNEP and the IWMI, in partnership with 19 other organizations. The report shows how managing and investing in the connections between ecosystems, water and food, through diversifying crops, planting trees on farmland and improving rainwater collection and other practical steps, could help avoid water scarcity and meet the growing food demands of a global population set to reach 9 billion by 2050.