This document is the first systematic discussion of the most important lessons of the APPJ Project of the European Union, which was implemented between the years 1993 and 2001. The project was prepared to respond to the emergency health situation of the cholera epidemic of 1991. The proposed project was to comment on building autonomous systems of drinking water in peri-urban areas not served by the SEDAPAL drinking water network. Lessons learned include: 1) It is not enough to build drinking water systems; 2) It is essential to ensure the existence of units that manage the system efficiently. 3) It is important to operate a monitoring program of the autonomous systems in Lima. This document has been divided into five chapters and three annexes. The first chapter presents the background of the project, the features of the proposal and phases their execution. The second deals with processes that led to major improvements in the construction of the autonomous systems of drinking water. The third chapter discusses the various aspects and factors influencing the sustainability of water systems. The fourth chapter discusses the role of institutional actors involved directly or indirectly in the sustainability of building water systems. Finally, the fifth chapter presents conclusions and lessons. The document ends with three annexes: the first is information on costs and volume of sales of systems visited; the second is a summary of the information status of systems visited, and the third is a list of NGOs who have participated in the implementation of the project.

This document is the first systematic discussion of the most important lessons of the APPJ Project of the European Union, which was implemented between the years 1993 and 2001. The project was prepared to respond to the emergency health situation of the cholera epidemic of 1991. The proposed project was to comment on building autonomous systems of drinking water in peri-urban areas not served by the SEDAPAL drinking water network. Lessons learned include: 1) It is not enough to build drinking water systems; 2) It is essential to ensure the existence of units that manage the system efficiently. 3) It is important to operate a monitoring program of the autonomous systems in Lima. This document has been divided into five chapters and three annexes. The first chapter presents the background of the project, the features of the proposal and phases their execution. The second deals with processes that led to major improvements in the construction of the autonomous systems of drinking water. The third chapter discusses the various aspects and factors influencing the sustainability of water systems. The fourth chapter discusses the role of institutional actors involved directly or indirectly in the sustainability of building water systems. Finally, the fifth chapter presents conclusions and lessons. The document ends with three annexes: the first is information on costs and volume of sales of systems visited; the second is a summary of the information status of systems visited, and the third is a list of NGOs who have participated in the implementation of the project.

The United Nations Food Systems Summit aimed to chart a path toward transforming food systems toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the essentiality of water for food systems, however, the Summit has not sufficiently considered the role of water for food systems transformation. This focus is even more important due to rapidly worsening climate change and its pervasive impacts on food systems that are mediated through water. To avoid that water “breaks” food systems, key food systems actors should 1) Strengthen efforts to retain water-dependent ecosystems, their functions and services; 2) Improve agricultural water management; 3) Reduce water and food losses beyond the farmgate; 4) Coordinate water with nutrition and health interventions; 5) Increase the environmental sustainability of food systems; 6) Explicitly address social inequities; and 7) Improve data quality and monitoring for water-food system linkages. | PR | IFPRI3; ISI; DCA; 1 Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply | EPTD

The United Nations Food Systems Summit aimed to chart a path toward transforming food systems toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the essentiality of water for food systems, however, the Summit has not sufficiently considered the role of water for food systems transformation. This focus is even more important due to rapidly worsening climate change and its pervasive impacts on food systems that are mediated through water. To avoid that water “breaks” food systems, key food systems actors should 1) Strengthen efforts to retain water-dependent ecosystems, their functions and services; 2) Improve agricultural water management; 3) Reduce water and food losses beyond the farmgate; 4) Coordinate water with nutrition and health interventions; 5) Increase the environmental sustainability of food systems; 6) Explicitly address social inequities; and 7) Improve data quality and monitoring for water-food system linkages.

By 2050, the global Earth population will reach 10 billion, leading to increased water, food, and energy needs. Availability of water in sufficient quantities and appropriate quality is a prerequisite for human societies and natural ecosystems. In many parts of the world, excessive water consumption and pollution by human activities put enormous pressure on this availability as well as on food and energy security, environmental quality, economic development, and social well-being. Water, food/materials, and energy are strongly interlinked, and the choices made in one area often have consequences on the others. This is commonly referred to as the “water-food-energy” nexus. These interconnections intensify as the demand for resources increases with population growth and changing consumption patterns, and Humanity continues using a linear economy model of ‘take-make-dispose’. The nexus makes it difficult for governments, public and private organizations, and the public, to set and follow a clear path towards a sustainable economy i.e., “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Humanity best chance at mitigating climate change, and shortage of resources is to harness the value of water as much as possible. This paper reviews the latest publications about the water-food-energy nexus and climate change, putting numbers into perspective, attempting to explain why water circularity is part of the key factors to accelerate the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy, and to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and how circularity can be implemented in the water sector.