The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a manual last week with guidelines on the use of water in animal production systems and in livestock supply chains. The publication counted on the participation of Embrapa Southeastern Livestock (São Carlos, SP), which has developed research in the area since 2011. The researcher Julio Palhares is Brazil's representative in FAO's technical group Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP). According to Palhares, the document is the result of three years of work by 27 experts from several countries. “The goal is to offer a methodology to calculate water footprint, water productivity and water use indicators for animal farming around the globe”, he explains. The recommendations are based on existing international standards and best practices. They address aspects related to water consumption, productivity and contribution to water scarcity. For the Embrapa researcher, the publication can inform work to promote water management in animal production systems and chains. “There is no production of animal protein without water in quantity and quality. Therefore, we have the obligation to learn how much we consume and our pollution potential so that we can show that we are able to be water efficient in what we do”, Palhares underscores. The guidelines were devised for livestock farming systems, including feed production and the production and processing of animal products. The publication is freely available on FAO's website: access it here. Translation: Mariana Medeiros