The facts around water security and supply are stark: agricultural supply chains use 70% of global freshwater resources, and the UN projects that global demand for fresh water will exceed supply by 40% by 2030. Climate change will only increase pressures, with more unpredictable weather and the disruption faced from both water scarcity and flooding. Against this backdrop protecting water resources is a critical concern, not only for food supply, but also to protect nature, to help local communities and to aid the path towards Net Zero.
WRAP invites you to join us for the launch of the new Roadmap towards Water Security for Food & Drink Supply, in partnership with the Rivers Trust, WWF and others. Building on the success of the Courtauld Commitment Water Ambition, the new Roadmap will aim to deliver even more ambitious change across the food system in support of the new Courtauld 2030 target and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In this interactive webinar you will hear from industry leaders and water stewardship experts who are successfully delivering collective action projects in the UK and overseas and are joining the Roadmap to achieve their sustainability goals. The discussion will explain how this practical work is benefiting suppliers at local level, helping build resilience to mitigate current, and future, risks. You will also hear how to get involved and get the opportunity to put your questions and concerns to our leading panel of experts.
Confirmed Speakers:
Karen Fisher, WRAP - Head of Climate Action Strategy
Karen has worked in the field of food systems sustainability for nearly twenty years, eight of which have been at WRAP. Karen has been instrumental in driving forward WRAP’s programmes including Meat in a Net Zero World and the Courtauld Water Ambition.
Shelly Fuller, WWF South Africa - Programme Manager: Sustainable Fruit and Wine projects
Shelly has an MSc in Conservation Ecology and has been working in the field of climate change mitigation and building resilient landscapes for 14 years. In her role at WWF South Africa, she works between the regenerative agriculture, biodiversity and water stewardship and sustainable finance portfolios and is most passionate about building effective partnerships to drive systemic change – for nature and for society.
Alice Ritchie, Tesco - Sustainable Agriculture Manager
Alice is the Sustainable Agriculture Manager for Tesco, working to advance Tesco’s sustainability agenda on all things water, biodiversity, soil and climate change across our agricultural supply base. She previously worked for the CLA as the Climate Change Lead and is in her final year of an MSc in Global Food Security at the University of Edinburgh.
Andy Roby, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) - Senior Water Security Adviser
Andy Roby has 36 years’ experience in international development and trade, including 16 years on forestry in Jamaica, Cameroon and Indonesia. He’s also worked in the European Commission, timber industry and UK Dept for International Trade, but spent most of his career in what is now the UK FCDO. In 2019 he was honoured by the Queen for services to reduce deforestation, and has led the Climate and Environment Directorates water policy work since 2019.
Kate Speke-Adams, Wye & Usk Foundation (WUF) - Head of Land Use
Kate heads up a team of ten catchment advisers, delivering a range of projects with farmers and landowners in the Wye & Usk catchments to restore water quality, mitigate against extremes of high/low water flows, and enhance biodiversity throughout the landscape. As a Courtauld water stewardship pilot catchment, WUF have been working closely with Tesco, Coop and M&S, and several of their key suppliers of soft fruit, milk, free range eggs and chicken.
