Challenges for water and food security
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The document discusses three key challenges for water and food security: 1) Thinking outside the box to better understand the water dimensions of food challenges and using approaches like water footprinting that consider blue, green, and virtual water. 2) Clarifying priorities as water and food issues are often disconnected, and developing a typology to distinguish solutions based on region and development level. 3) Thinking about medium and long term population trends, as population growth is a main driver of water scarcity and can impact migration patterns and social risks over time.
Challenges for water and food security
- 1. Challenges for Water and Food Security Daniel Zimmer Director Innovation, Climate KIC Former Director of the World Water Council Challenge Programme Water and Food, Jo’burg November 2011
- 2. Challenge 1: Think out of the box • Water and food interactions remain poorly understood by many experts of water and on food & agriculture • Focus is too much on water management • Water crisis advocated as a management crisis • IWRM too much presented as a panacea
- 3. Challenge 1: Think out of the box • Try to understand and to explain the water dimension(s) of the current challenges • Eg: food price volatility
- 4. Challenge 1: Think out of the box • Use water footprinting approaches that combine blue, green and virtual water (example: Tunisia) 2004 2025 (1) BAU 2025 (2) green water +25% Population (M) 10 12 12 Total blue water resources 2,5 2,7 2,7 (km3) Irrigation (km3) 2 2,1 2,1 Total water footprint (km3) 15 20,6 21 Total per capita footprint 1500 1700 1700 (m3/cap/yr) Internal agricultural green 8 8 10 water (km3) Virtual water baance (km3) 4 10 8 External dependency rate 28% 48% 37%
- 5. Challenge 2: Clarify priorities • Water and food issues remain disconnected in most decision-makers minds • Water for food is not as high on the agenda as water for people (eg Millenium Development Goals); • Food issues encompass several other issues than water • Perspectives on water for food are debated: • Should we develop more irrigation? Or should we increase its efficiency? • Should we develop conservation techniques? • Should we mobilise/protect groundwater?
- 6. Challenge 2: Clarify priorities • Develop a typology of issues and solutions distinguishing • The initial situation of the various regions • Emerging economies vs poor countries • Arid vs humid regions Source: Comprehensive Assessment
- 7. Challenge 3: Think medium and long term trends and population dynamics • Population is the main driver of water scarcity • Lack of water security is related to poverty and to high population growth rate (demographic transition being delayed) • In the medium term: migrations and social risks especially for rich and attrctive economies • Eg Sahel and Ivory Coast
- 8. Challenge 3: Think medium and long term trends and population dynamics • Similar processes may happen in irrigated areas (especially if important contrast with surrounding areas) • An irrigated scheme generates wealth and may result in increased demographic growth (less exodus, immigration) • As a result, more staple food is grown and less cash crop; hence irrigated crops decrease in proportion
- 9. Thank you for your attention!