There is a growing need for food systems — not only in Ethiopia but also across Sub-Saharan Africa — to focus on better seeds, fertilizers and enhanced market value chains to feed our populations. This, unfortunately, overlooks one crucial and binding element: water.

Ignoring where and how we get, use and manage water when planning our food systems is not just a missed opportunity but – from history – an all too familiar recipe for failure.

India’s Green Revolution of the 1960s and 70s comes to mind. Often celebrated for feeding millions and preventing famine, new crop varieties flourished, thanks to a huge expansion in irrigation — through canals systems and water control structures and, more importantly, the massive extraction of groundwater.

That success, sadly, is now unraveling. Aquifers that once supported India’s agricultural heartland are in decline. Studies show that in some areas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, groundwater levels are dropping by more than a meter each year. Fields that used to thrive are now dry, and the very systems that once saved lives are now contributing to water shortages. Why is this happening? Because while the Green Revolution changed food systems, it neglected to evolve the water systems that support them.

One would ask what is the difference between the two systems? Food systems denote the steps and people involved in growing, producing, processing, transporting, selling, eating and disposing of food. Water systems, on the other hand, refer to the infrastructure and processes used to collect, treat, store and distribute water for various uses, such as drinking, irrigation and sanitation. These include natural sources like rivers and groundwater, and man-made infrastructure like reservoirs, treatment plants and pipelines. Efficient water systems ensure access to safe and clean water while managing wastewater and supporting environmental sustainability.

Therefore, investing in and integrating water systems into food systems planning is essential for agriculture, public health and industry.

So what can Africa learn from India’s Green Revolution?

In both highlands and lowlands, more than 90 percent of our farmers rely on rainfed agriculture. But the rain is becoming increasingly unpredictable. Droughts are more prolonged and severe, and floods are more frequent and intense. These extremes have a profound effect on agricultural production and the livelihoods of millions of people.

This is not just a climate crisis; it is a water crisis. One that demands that we position water at the heart of Africa’s food planning and agricultural production — or we risk food insecurity that would lead to economic stagnation. It’s time to stop viewing water as just a backdrop for agriculture and instead elevate it to center stage.

In Ethiopia, for instance, to transform our food systems, different stakeholders from village to global communities require to adopt a systems-level view of land and water use. We must view land as a living ecosystem where rivers flow, the soils breathe, trees store water, and people and livestock interact with biodiversity daily. When lands are degraded due to deforestation, overgrazing or poor farming practices, we lose soil fertility and our capacity to capture and retain water. Soil erosion and wetlands destruction are particularly devastating for water storage, irrigation and farming, illustrating the critical link between healthy landscapes and sustainable food production.

But the reverse is also true. When we manage our landscapes wisely — through, for example, agroforestry, terracing, wetland protection and soil conservation — water stays where it’s needed. Soil moisture improves, streams keep flowing, and crops can endure even during dry spells.

Ethiopia could take the lead by investing in water-sensitive planning which should include empowering more farmers to manage waterer at the grassroots level.  Simple nature-based solutions like mulching, composting, rainwater harvesting and conservation tillage can help soils hold onto water longer, and they are affordable, accessible, highly effective and sustainable.

Unfortunately, landscape-based water management gets scant attention in national planning and regional frameworks. In fact, water isn’t even a key pillar in most food policy documents.

How can we change this?

Firstly, as we work to build resilient, fair, inclusive and climate-smart food systems for the 21st century at the global and regional level, governments, donors, development partners and research institutions must prioritize water systems through water governance reforms, water efficient technologies, support for innovative contextualized agricultural solutions and community support for watershed management.

Secondly, national governments should adopt regional frameworks such as the African Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme and the Integrated Development of Agricultural Water Management into country strategies by scaling irrigation.

Thirdly, and above all, we should stop viewing water and food as separate systems because just as clapping with one hand is impossible, there will never be a resilient food system without a strong water system.

Amare Haileslassie (PhD) is the Principal Researcher – Agricultural Water Management and Environment at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Contributed by Amare Haileslassie (PhD)