Water quality; irrigation and on-farm controls for achieving global food safety and nutritional security

Project Summary/AbstractGlobal knowledge of pre-harvest factors in food safety, particularly regarding water quality, must be ensured that safetyis built into food production to prevent foodborne illness before they begin. Effective measures in protecting the healthof consumers also enhances the value of food with higher economic returns for both domestic and international tradenetworks. Especially as global water scarcity pushes towards the use of poor-quality water sources, better understandingof the connections between water quality and food safety is needed to improve global health and sustainable agriculturaland environmental outcomes. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations will utilize and leverageits existing government, research, and private sector knowledge networks and associated developed tools to raiseawareness and build on the networks and learning products for introducing innovative techniques and best practices onland and water management for improved food security.This project has three core goals, primarily to raise awareness of key stakeholders on the relationship between waterquality and food safety from field-to-fork, across the supply chain. Expert consultation and guidelines will act as thefoundation for targeted trainings on the farm and authorities at the country, regional, and global levels. On the farm bestpractices and low-cost agricultural interventions will be developed to mitigate production risks to food safety. On theregional and global levels, trainings and workshops will focus toward sustainable land and water management strategiesand directed monitoring. The third goal will be targeted pilot projects aimed at in-depth institutional capacity building inevidence-based technologies, such as Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) techniques and hydrological modeling, toincrease risk-assessment capacity in identifying and tracking waterborne pathogens. Ultimately, this novel approach tofood safety monitoring systems will contribute to global understanding of risk paradigms in preventing foodborne illnessesand improve cross-collaboration between sectors. Global meetings and technical roundtables will facilitate data sharingand common risk prevention approaches for a safer global food supply chain.