UNFSS Independent Dialogue in Pakistan: Role of Water-Energy-Food Nexus for achieving food security in a changing climate

Date and Time: 21/04/2021 | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Meeting platform: Zoom (Will be shared soon), By invitation only

About:

Join us for an Independent Dialogue convened by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and partners to discuss water‐energy‐food (WEF) nexus approaches to achieve food systems transformation in Pakistan. Insights emerging from this national, multi‐stakeholder forum will be presented at the United Nations Food System Summit (UNFSS) in September 2021. Transforming #foodsystems is among the most powerful ways to make progress towards all 17 #SDGS. The expected key outcome of this dialogue would be getting involved and sharing the views of stakeholders across Pakistan on sustainable food systems transformation and the importance of the WEF nexus in a changing climate. Reaching a common understanding of the challenges and finding local solutions to the challenges facing food and water systems transformation along with attendant issues of water security for a range of other sectors will be explored.

The session is designed to be interactive, allowing for small group discussion, collective brainstorming, and agenda‐setting. As the region maps out the road to UNFSS 2021, this Dialogue will focus on the role of water and energy in food systems transformation. Speakers and panelists from across the world and the region will discuss how systems transformation for equitable food and water security in Pakistan can be achieved. The dialogue will provide a knowledge platform to better understand the water‐energy‐food nexus under a changing climate and guidance to develop more climate‐resilient water and land solutions at multiple scales (farm, irrigation system, basin, country, and regional) in Indus Basin. The outcome of this dialogue will support climate adaptation interventions at various scales leading to reduce water consumption from the agriculture sector in the Indus Basin.

This dialogue is based on invitation and participants are expected to present from Keyline Ministries and Agencies of Pakistan Government, National Research Institutions, FAO, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Universities, NGO’s, Private Sectors and Development Partners including CG Centers (IFPRI, ICARDA, and CIMMYT).

Curators:

Dr. Mohsin Hafeez, CR, IWMI Pakistan

Meeting Agenda:

The Road to UNFSS2021: Achieving water and food security via video from Joachim von Braun (Chair of the Scientific Group for the UNFSS). (3-5 mins)

The Road to UNFSS2021: The role of water in food systems transformation by Dr. Mark Smith (DG, IWMI). (10 mins)

Progress and challenges in achieving SDG 2: Zero Hunger in Pakistan, and implications for water, energy, and food security by Mr. Ghufran Memon, Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R). (10 mins)

Introduction to break-out groups by the curator. (5 mins)

8 Breakout group discussion by all. (75 mins)

Plenary discussion on feedback from break-outs by all. (30 mins)

Wrap-up of key messages and next steps by TBC. (10 mins)

Language:

English. Dialogue is expecting to gather around a hundred participants/stakeholders of the region and discuss the topic in identified following eight breakout working groups.

Thematic areas of breakout group discussions:

1. Moving towards low carbon energy for food production
   Key question: How can we sustainably produce more food in the region using low greenhouse gas energy sources?
2. Climate change impacts on water and food security
   Key question: How can we sustainably enhance food security without compromising water security in the context of climate change?
3. Policy coherence and institutional coordination in water, food, energy, and climate change that operationalize the WEF nexus
   Key question: What practical steps can/should be taken to ensure policy coherence and institutional coordination to improve water, energy, and food security in the region?
4. Advancing technical WEF models, tools, and frameworks for decision making at multiple scales
   Key question: How can WEF nexus models/tools facilitate a new understanding of interdependencies and trade‐offs in the WEF nexus, as well as foster data sharing and enhanced decision‐making in the region?
5. Enhancing resilience of water system across multi‐sector (agriculture, domestic, industry, and environment) demands
   Key question: How do we build more resilient food and livelihood systems while protecting critical water sources, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services while satisfying growing water demand?
6. Socio‐Economic Benefits of WEF Nexus
   Key question: What steps need to be taken to assess the benefits and trade‐offs across sectors, especially from a socio‐economic point of view (employment, health, migration, equity, GDP, etc)?
7. Community approaches to operationalize the WEF nexus
   Key question: How can we promote equity and inclusion in WEF nexus governance to create opportunities for transformation towards more just food, water, and energy systems?
8. Trading in the WEF nexus across scales
   Key question: How do we build resilience in interconnected food systems, from local to global scales?

Learn more about the UNFSS dialogues, here.