Sustainable Water Management Could Create 245 Million Jobs

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Redistributing water resources in the global food sector is a key factor for sustainably meeting rising food demand and could create up to 245 million long-term jobs, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Bank report “Nourish and Flourish: Water Solutions to Feed 10 Billion People on a Livable Planet”, published 19 March.

The report notes that current water management practices in agriculture, characterized by overuse in some regions and underuse in others, support food production for less than half of the world’s population. By 2050, feeding 10 billion people will require reducing excessive water use in scarce regions while intensifying water utilization where it is available.

The report introduces a new framework linking water availability with food production and international trade. Countries are classified by water stress levels and as food importers or exporters, allowing policymakers to identify where expanding rainfed agriculture and investing in irrigation can generate jobs and economic growth, and where water use must be balanced to protect ecosystems.

Pascal Donohue, Managing Director at the World Bank, emphasized that proper water allocation affects employment, livelihoods, and economic growth. “Rational crop planning, water allocation, and the role of trade in food security can enhance resilience, expand opportunities, and conserve resources,” he said.

Achieving these goals requires an active role for the private sector alongside public investment, as well as effective regulation and institutional frameworks. Government financing alone cannot support large-scale irrigation deployment and productivity improvements. Farmers are willing to co-finance projects if they have access to funding, quality equipment, markets, and digital tools that reduce risks and transaction costs.

Guangzhe Chen, World Bank Vice President for the Planet, noted that combining infrastructure investment, natural resource management, and private capital creates a synergistic effect. “By linking global data with country realities, food production can be adapted to current water and climate conditions, providing food, jobs, and sustainability simultaneously,” he said.

Expanding irrigation and modernizing systems will require an additional US$24–70 billion annually until 2050. Governments currently spend roughly US$490 billion supporting agriculture, mostly through subsidies. Redirecting a portion of this funding, coupled with reforms, blended finance, and public-private partnerships, can attract private capital and make food and water security financially sustainable.

The World Bank is implementing programs such as Water for Food, Water for the Planet, and the AgriConnect initiative, which supports smallholder farms in transitioning from subsistence to surplus production. Agricultural financing is planned to double to US$9 billion by 2030, with an additional US$5 billion annually. These measures aim to strengthen food systems, create jobs, and protect natural resources.