To feed the future and create jobs, manage the water

 

Adopted from the World Bank’s Voices Blog

By 2050, the world must feed 10 billion people amid rising water stress and deepening resource imbalances. The World Bank Group’s Nourish and Flourish report says smarter water management can help food systems rise to these serious challenges, producing more sustainably while creating jobs, raising incomes, and driving economic growth.

Countries face very different starting points when it comes to water and food production. Some have abundant water and untapped agricultural potential, and others are already under severe water stress and need to use every drop more productively.

Some rely on food imports as a deliberate economic strategy, while others are import-dependent not by choice but by necessity, held back by inadequate infrastructure and unrealized agricultural potential. And others are major exporters shaping global markets.

These differences matter. The path forward is not a single solution, but better alignment between water, food production, and economic priorities— tailored to each country’s reality.

In regions where rainfall is unreliable, sustainable irrigation can sharply increase yields— sometimes more than doubling them. It can also create at least 245 million jobs globally, particularly where agriculture remains central to livelihoods.

Better water management is not just about food— it is a powerful driver of jobs and growth.

Turning this into results requires three shifts.

First, stronger coordination and leadership. Countries that have successfully transformed agricultural water systems treat water as a strategic issue— bringing together agriculture, environment, finance, water institutions, and broader society around a shared vision.

Second, shift incentives and services toward performance. Too often, public spending rewards overuse or stops at infrastructure. The opportunity is to focus on reliable service delivery, with clear accountability for results. With the right policies and regulations, governments can crowd in private sector participation, scale investment, and deliver better outcomes for farmers.

Third, use data and technology to guide decisions. Too many decisions are still made with incomplete information. Expanding satellite data, digital tools, and open systems can improve planning, strengthen accountability, and enable smarter water use.

These shifts are already underway in countries around the world. In Jordan, public–private partnerships such as the As-Samra wastewater treatment plant   show how long-term concessions can mobilize private investment while increasing the availability of treated water for irrigation and other productive uses. In Nigeria, the Transforming Irrigation Management Project has promoted smarter irrigation practices while expanding irrigated land, producing enough crops to feed nearly one million people, primarily farming households and rural communities. In Türkiye, the Irrigation Modernization Project is replacing existing open irrigation channels with underground piped systems that reduce water losses and conserve groundwater.

Nourish and Flourish documents many of these solutions to demonstrate how countries are expanding irrigation sustainably where water is available, improving water productivity where it is scarce, and mobilizing private capital through stronger policies, partnerships, and risk-sharing mechanisms.

The benefits extend far beyond agriculture.

This is why the World Bank Group is advancing Water Forward— a strategic effort to move water from a source of risk to a driver of jobs, growth, and resilience.

Feeding the future is not just about producing more— it is about making better choices now.

Align water, food, and investment— and countries can deliver food security, create jobs, and support growth on a livable planet.