"Agriculture and Water – Key to Feeding the World"
Water is life. Approximately 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered in water. However, only
around one percent of this water is freely available as freshwater and able to be used by mankind.
Over the last 50 years, water consumption has roughly tripled. Increasing water scarcity is being
accompanied in affected regions by increased competition over water usage, which in turn is also
putting political stability and economic and social development at risk.
The sustainable use of water as a vital resource is one of the major global challenges of the 21st
century. This applies in particular to agriculture: approximately 70 percent of the freshwater used
worldwide is used for irrigation. Estimates by UN suggest that the global demand for water in
agriculture will increase by about 20 percent by 2050. Put simply, water is, together with soil, the
most important input for agriculture. Only if agriculture has sufficient clean water it can fulfil its
role as a major supplier of food and ensure food supplies for the growing world population.
In view of this global challenge, agriculture must find answers to the following questions:

What part can agriculture, as a large user of water, play worldwide in the sustainable
stewardship of water as a valuable resource and in maintaining water quality?

Given the increasing competition over water usage, how can it be ensured that agriculture
has access to water, and hence can provide the global population with food?

How can agriculture contribute its considerable potential regarding the use of water
towards political processes at international level?
The 2017 Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) will address these questions and a range
of other issues. From 19 – 21 January 2017, key international players from politics, industry,
science and civil society will, at the invitation of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
(BMEL) and its cooperation partners, have the opportunity to exchange thoughts and ideas on
“Agriculture and Water – Key to Feeding the World” and on related topics and regional aspects.
The many events carried out under the GFFA 2017 are intended to provide impetus for future
developments in the area of “Agriculture and Water” at international level.
www.gffa-berlin.de
Programme of the GFFA 2017
19 January 2017:
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Kick-off event
Expert panel discussions
20 January 2017:
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Cooperation market
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Expert panel discussions
2:00 pm –4:00 pm High Level Panels of the international organisations
21 January 2017:
9:00 am – 12:30 pm 9th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm International Business Panel Discussion hosted by GFFA Berlin e.V.
from 4:00 pm
Evening reception hosted by GFFA Berlin e.V.
www.gffa-berlin.de