Today, global food supplies are under serious threat. According to the results of three new studies published last week, the reason for this risk is that the production of much of the food we consume is concentrated in a limited number of countries that are facing increasing water shortages.
One of the three studies, conducted by the World Resources Institute (WRI), shows that a quarter of the world’s agricultural products are grown in areas where water resources are under pressure, or where irrigation is unreliable and unstable, or from any They suffer from two problems.
A second study, published by the World Commission on Water Economics, analyzed the data in a different way and concluded that half of the world’s food production takes place in areas where water availability is projected to decrease.
A third study, published by the European Union’s Environment Agency, shows that even the continent’s normally rainy regions are facing a drought trend.
All three studies warn that urgent reforms are necessary. These reforms include preventing water wastage, reducing food waste, restoring wetlands, and setting goals for the sustainable use of water resources.
The World Commission on Water Economics has requested the policy makers to do the pricing of water properly. The report of this commission states: “Water is usually known as an endless and self-evident gift of nature, but in reality it is scarce and its provision is costly for consumers.”
South Africa is facing the worst hunger crisis in decades
The signs of crisis can be seen even now. In Brazil, a severe drought has not only increased local food prices, but also dramatically increased the global price of sugar and coffee. Brazil is the largest producer of sugar in the world and supplies more than a third of the world’s coffee.
In Henan province, China’s agricultural heartland, a very dry season followed by torrential rains has pushed up the price of everyday vegetables. In southern Africa, the increase in temperature and drought caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon has destroyed the main agricultural product of this region, that is, corn; So that the United Nations announced this week that South Africa is in the worst hunger crisis in recent decades.
The water crisis affects about 30% of the population of EU countries every year and is expected to worsen with further global warming. Agriculture in Europe is the largest and most vulnerable sector of water consumers. Heat and drought have put one of the most valuable products of the Mediterranean, the olive, at risk.
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The main food products have been more affected by the crisis. Data from the World Resources Institute is particularly alarming for corn, rice and wheat. These three grains provide a major part of the food consumed by eight billion people in the world.
One-third of staple food crops are grown in areas where water resources are under severe pressure or where rainfall patterns have changed unpredictably.
“Although farmers have adapted to some extent to water fluctuations, increasing competition and climate change have strained available resources to the extent that production of staple crops in these The regions have put food security at risk.”
Another important risk is the concentration of food production in a limited number of countries. Ten countries, including the United States and China, produce nearly three-quarters of the world’s irrigated crops, such as sugar, wheat, and cotton. Meanwhile, two-thirds of the crops face “high to very high levels of water stress”.
Today, the global water crisis threatens not only food security, but also the lives of billions of people.
