BEFORE the sun rises, billions of people across the globe begin their day with one pressing concern: how to put food on the table.
But behind every meal lies an invisible cost— the world’s freshwater reserves, dwindling fast and undervalued. For centuries, human survival has depended on the land and the water that feeds it. Today, that relationship is strained to a breaking point as agriculture drains the planet’s most precious resource. Agriculture is the biggest consumer of water today. Approximately 70 percent of the world’s freshwater withdrawals are from this sector.
The global population is largely concentrated in developing countries. Developing countries account for about 81% of freshwater consumption. Asia uses almost two-thirds of the world’s water, with 80 percent of its freshwater going to agriculture. In Africa, a low- and middle-income area, agriculture accounts for 80% of freshwater consumption. Developing economies’ reliance on agriculture for development, jobs and food security is the main reason for their high freshwater consumption.
Rice, cotton and sugarcane, all water-intensive crops grown in Asia, are exported internationally to fulfill the demands of Asia’s developing economies, contributing to significant freshwater consumption. Due to population growth and shifting global climates, the demand for these crops will continue to rise. Therefore, with increasing freshwater demand, Asia’s position as the most water-stressed region will persist. Developed nations, including Europe and America, allocate more water to industry and municipalities than to agriculture.
America uses almost 50% of its water for agriculture, while Europe uses 25%. In the US, California is the top agricultural producer, providing about a third of the nation’s vegetables and almost two-thirds of its fruits and nuts. Reaching up to 80 percent of freshwater use, its dependence on freshwater has enabled this. Even if climate threats are addressed, the world’s dependence on freshwater for agriculture makes it vulnerable to conflict. Following World War II, gains in agricultural productivity have reduced water usage in food production, raised yields and enhanced the productive capacity of farmland.
Will water shortages threaten our food supply, or can better farming practices prevent this? Miina Prokka, an associate professor at the University of Eastern Finland, studied how global and regional water availability affects the production of a minimum 3000-kcal/day diet (including at least 20% animal products) ensuring food security for the average person. This analysis spanned a century, from 1905-2005. Technology has halved the water needed to produce food compared to a century ago, yet water scarcity poses a growing threat to food security. Water scarcity in 1905 confined 360 million people—21% of the global population—to agricultural areas.
This number climbed to 2.2 billion by 2005, exceeding one-third of the world’s population. Water scarcity impacts food production across much of the globe; three-quarters of South Asia’s population, 42% in the Middle East, nearly 40% in Africa and 35% in East Asia are affected. Continued rising freshwater consumption in developing nations and areas like California could lead to water scarcity and affect food production. Freshwater resources face further strain from rising development costs, depletion, pollution, ecosystem damage and wasteful use. In addition, growing nano-agricultural water demands, shifting food preferences, the global climate crisis and increased biofuel production will put pressure on scarce water resources.
With water scarcity looming, experts warn of potential global food insecurity, threatening planetary well-being. To counter the growing threat, we need global collaboration in conserving our freshwater resources. Global food trade planning can solve this by assigning water-intensive crop production to water-rich states and exporting these crops to water-scarce states. The Middle East’s water shortage is overcome, to some extent, by importing water-intensive products, thus increasing consumption. Jordan’s yearly food imports use the equivalent of 5-7 billion cubic meters of water, significantly more than its 1 billion cubic meters of domestic water.
However, water-stressed countries like India, Pakistan and parts of Australia export water-intensive crops, jeopardizing their limited freshwater resources. Likewise, Egypt sends its limited water resources, embodied in cotton, produce and other products, to Saudi Arabia, Japan, the U.S., Germany and Italy. A shocking 11% of non-renewable groundwater used for irrigation is hidden within the international food trade; Pakistan, the US and India export two-thirds of this. Resultantly, from 2000-2010, a 22% global reduction in groundwater levels occurred. The regions that cultivate most of the world’s crops, including India, Pakistan, China, the U.S., the Middle East and North Africa, are experiencing the most significant depletion.
The world depends on these areas for food. A global water conservation policy, assigning responsibility to states for water-efficient crop production, must be complemented by a global hydraulic mission to develop worldwide “megaprojects”. Developed nations must fund dam construction in developing countries to maintain global food trade. As of today, 55,000 dams exist globally. More dams are needed, particularly in water-scarce areas growing thirsty crops. The truth is, that seeking out new freshwater resources in this day and age is a lost cause. Collaborative projects offering mutual benefits should be the central approach to resolving water conflicts. Countries must prioritize methods to decrease water demand and enhance water delivery, consumption and treatment efficiency. Agriculture is fundamental to human survival and water is vital to its success. Global collaboration is crucial now to secure a sustainable future, prioritizing global food security through effective freshwater resource management. This is crucial to preventing food insecurity from causing worldwide repercussions to global human security that are beyond our comprehension.
—The writer is Commoner from 44th Common Educationist — Founder of WHI Institute.based in Sargodha.
(waqarhassancsp@gmail.com)
