Glaciers and mountains: the food, water security and livelihoods nexus

This technical brief, published by the Mountain Partnership on International Mountain Day (IMD), is a contribution to the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025. It provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the vital role of glaciers and other cryosphere components in supporting agricultural production, livelihoods and food and water security, both within mountain settings and downstream, and offers several important considerations for policymakers and practitioners.

Mountain glaciers and other cryosphere components are crucial for agricultural production, livelihoods and water and food security. About 70 percent of the Earth’s freshwater exists as glaciers and ice caps, with meltwater making a significant seasonal contribution to river flows in cryosphere-dominated basins. A significant proportion of downstream-irrigated agriculture is reliant on glacier- and other cryosphere-fed mountain waters, especially in the dry season and during periods of drought. Globally, mountain water makes a substantial contribution to river flows annually, including cryosphere-derived meltwater. Almost 2 billion people are dependent on mountain water for food security.