Globally, over 780 million people lack access to safe drinking water and 2.5 billion people lack access to sanitation. A growing population and rising food demands may increase the call for water associated with agriculture, which already constitutes 70 percent of the claim on freshwater resources. Projections are that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population could be living in severe water stress conditions. Ensuring the availability of safe water to sustain natural systems and human life is integral to the success of the development objectives, foreign policy goals, and national security interests of the United States. To address global water-related development needs, the Water and Development Strategy provides increased focus for USAID’s water programs, emphasizing approaches that are sustainable, well-targeted, informed by past effort, work through host country systems, and use emerging science and technology.