According to the Asian Development Bank, 80% of water resources are used for agricultural irrigation in Asia and the Pacific. Water scarcity due to climate change and increasing demand for water from other economic sectors threatens to limit agricultural capacity to ensure food security unless water management in agriculture is improved. This includes optimizing water allocation in agriculture via proper water pricing while enhancing water use efficiency through better irrigation technology and practices and environmental regulation. It also involves other considerations such as the social behavior of farming communities, economic constraints, and legal and institutional frameworks.

This virtual conference featured new research on water resource management and agricultural sustainability in Asia under climate change. It focused on policy gaps and solutions for addressing institutional, socioeconomic, and financial constraints to food and water security.

See more about this ADBI event here.