Foreword and acknowledgements

Increasing evidence suggests that water risks threaten future agriculture production in many regions. Factors, such as the multiplication of extreme water events, sea level rise—both projected to accelerate with climate change—water quality deterioration, groundwater depletion, and intensifying cross-sector competition for water supplies, combine to create “a perfect storm” for agriculture in many regions, which are often poorly prepared to respond. If these water risks are particularly intense in specific agricultural regions, their impacts can expand to national and international levels, with consequences on markets and food security.