GLOBALG.A.P. panel discussion tackles critical topic of responsible water management at Berlin’s Fruit Logistica 2024

On the afternoon of 8 February, stakeholders from around the world attended a panel discussion to explore cross-sector perspectives on “Addressing responsible water management in high water risk regions”.  

Hosted by GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS at Fruit Logistica in Berlin, the panel was made up of six industry experts representing both producer and retailer sectors, certification bodies, media, NGOs, and GLOBALG.A.P. technical experts. Moderated by journalist and Fruitnet Media International CEO Chris White, the event included productive conversations in a roundtable format, showcasing the panelists’ various perspectives on the future of water management in crucial agricultural regions. 

The panelists included GLOBALG.A.P. representative Alexandre Garcia-Devis Flores, WWF Spain agriculture and water coordinator Felipe Fuentelsaz, Hispatec Agrointeligencia CEO José Luis Molina, Kiwa Spain sales director Carlos Valdivia, Freshuelva GRASP technical committee delegate Sara Llopart, and Sustainability Initiative Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV) program director Coen Frederiks. 

Key topics covered during the event included water legislation, water scarcity, sustainable watershed governance, water distribution and measurement systems, and wastewater management. The panelists assessed urgent water risks and associated environmental concerns, such as at-risk water resources, and identified initiatives for solutions and methods of raising awareness. This included discussion on the role of benchmarking and harmonization initiatives, certification, and consumer labeling in facilitating, implementing, and demonstrating responsible water use at farm level.  

Several panelists agreed on the need for increased digitalization in water management. Jose Luis Molina specifically discussed the need for data-driven, “crop per drop” decisions in irrigation. 

Molina stressed that various elements must be considered – including infrastructure, sustainability, and the economy – in finding solutions on the topic of water. Sara Llopart emphasized the urgency of improving and increasing infrastructure. Llopart explained that particularly in Spain, governing bodies and water management authorities must collaborate for the benefit of citizens and the environment, because “water for agriculture is water for food.”

Coen Frederiks also expressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in decision-making, arguing that the entire supply chain should be committed to responsible water use, rather than the onus being on producers. In the same vein, Frederiks explained local communities must be involved. Governance will depend on the region, he explained, however there is a general need across the sector for some type of recognition of responsible water management.  

Felipe Fuentelsaz also addressed water governance, explaining that whether these controls are implemented by local or federal administrations, or through voluntary certification, there is a need for official checks. Alexandre Garcia-Devis Flores therefore explained how GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS remains dedicated to fostering responsible water use across the sector, through its available standards, as well as focus on capacity building and collaboration. Through such panel discussions and public consultations, GLOBALG.A.P. is dedicated to getting input from our stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds.  

Overall, the experts held productive conversations and concluded the panel discussion on the agreement that looking forward, increased water governance and water technology will be instrumental in ensuring responsible and sustainable water management.