The Water-Food Equation in the Pacific

On land and in the sea clean water safeguards food and nutritional security in the Pacific, because it underpins functioning, productive food systems, and human health and wellbeing. Water, food, and communities in the region are intrinsically connected, which makes resolving ecological and socio-economic issues an inherently complex task. Yet, this connectivity, and the geographic diversity of Pacific nations, is also a strength. Nexus solutions can be effective in increasing the sustainability of resource use and the resilience of ecosystems and communities to climate change, as they enable a range of interconnected land and sea ecosystem issues to be considered across multiple spatial scales. They also support communities, governments, and industries to identify and navigate trade-offs in social and ecological objectives. This chapter explores challenges in the water-food equation and several nexus-focused strategies that could foster sustainability and the resilience of ecosystems, resources, and communities in the Pacific.