Human use of land and water for agriculture has not yet peaked, but all evidence points to slowing growth in agricultural productivity, rapid exhaustion of productive capacity and generation of environmental harm. Taking production that is more environmentally responsible and climate smart to scale can reverse trends in the deterioration of land and water resources and promote inclusive growth. This aligns with the aspirations of the FAO strategic framework: “better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”.

The past decade has seen the advent of several important global policy frameworks including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action, the New Urban Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development. The frameworks have introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and land degradation neutrality (LDN). In particular, there are dedicated SDGs for water, and targets for land and soil health. The frameworks are accompanied by global assessments of natural resources, including soils, forestry, biodiversity, desertification and climate. The state of the world’s land and water resources for food and agriculture: Systems at breaking point (SOLAW 2021) report aims to take stock of the implications for agriculture and recommend solutions for transforming the combined role of land and water in global food systems.

The uncertainty of climate change and the complex feedback loops between climate and land present agriculture with amplified levels of risk that need to be managed. A global view points to a convergence of factors putting unprecedented pressure on land and water resources, leading to a set of human impacts and shocks in the supply of agricultural products, notably food. The SOLAW 2021 report argues that a sense of urgency needs to prevail over a hitherto neglected area of public policy and human welfare, that of caring for the long-term future of land, soil and water.