Baghdad, May 25 -- The world needs to act with speed, scale and determination to tackle the growing threat of water scarcity and climate shocks, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, today told the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference.

Hosted by the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, the conference offered FAO the chance to convene experts, policymakers, and partners to share knowledge and foster collaboration for sustainable water and agricultural development.

Across the world, water is under growing pressure from rising demand, intensifying droughts and competing interests.

The situation is particularly critical in Iraq, where water has an historical legacy. Mesopo...