Water Scarcity

Water Scarcity
Agriculture uses about 70 per cent of all fresh water taken from rivers every year.
From the rice terraces of China to the orchards of Australia's Murray-Darling
Basin, river water is used to irrigate farms and feed billions of people around the
world. River systems and the water they capture, store and distribute are among
the most threatened natural environments on Earth. The level of threat to the
ongoing supply of fresh water available for agriculture varies from place to place
but an increasing demand for water is by far the most common threat to food
security around the globe. In many places, population growth particularly in - is
putting increased demand on nearby rivers and lakes. This increased demand and
usage then threatens the water supplies that farmers rely on.
Economic factor
Greater prosperity and socioeconomic development also places greater demands
on water supplies. Industrial development and an increase in the number of
individual households mean increased water consumption. At current usage rates
water, needed for industry around the world is predicted to at least double by
2025. Rapid economic growth and Westernisation in countries such as China and
India is also affecting water usage. According to environmentalists and academics,
water scarcity and quality are the most pressing environmental issues facing
China today. Currently, water is being used at an unsustainable rate. Changing
tastes in places like China are also increasing the demand for certain foods, such
as meat, which require more water to produce than traditional rainfed crops. This
is putting an added strain on water resources.
Environmental factors
Environmental factors also affect the amounts of water used for growing food
Changing rainfall patterns and warmer temperatures as a result of climate change
are seriously affecting water supply in some regions of the world. The rapid
melting of glaciers in places such as South America and Central Asia is of
particular concern. Glaciers have historically acted as reservoirs. As the glaciers
have slowly melted, water has flowed down the mountains into the rivers.
providing water to millions of people. This water has been used to grow a
significant amount of the food to meet the requirements of 2.5 billion people in
Asia and 53 million people in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. As the glaciers shrink,
however, this water flow is declining. A lack of water to grow crucial crops is
predicted to have a severe impact on food security for people in these regions.
Climate Change
Much debate surrounds the subject of climate change but there is now
considerable evidence and consensus that the main cause of global warming is
the rising carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. Gases
produced by human activities are being added to the atmosphere at such a rate
that they are changing the Earth's climate. The most obvious change is a rise in
global temperatures but there are other changes too. Some places are becoming
wetter, while others are becoming drier. Glaciers and ice caps are melting causing
sea levels to rise. Extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and cyclones
are becoming more serious and frequent. These and other changes are already
affecting food production, and climate scientists warn that these impacts will
become more severe in the future depending on global temperature increases.
Changes in the atmosphere affect water and land that is used for growing crops.
Droughts mean there is not enough water for successful crop growing, while a
drastic increase in the amount of rain falling on a region means crops may be
flooded and destroyed. These changes in climate pose a significant threat to food
security.
Impacts on Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia
The impacts of climate change on food production are likely to be greatest in
Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Many farming areas in Africa are expected to
become drier. As the soil dries, causing plants such as trees and shrubs to die, the
possibility of Africa's deserts spreading into areas currently being farmed is
expected to increase. Infestations from plants and animal pests such as locusts
are also expected to become more severe, as are droughts.
Asia's river deltas, such as the Mekong, Ganges, Indus and Yangtze, are
sometimes referred to as the world's rice bowl. Due to farming improvements
introduced during the Green Revolution, these river deltas now help provide food
security to over one billion people. This food security, however, is under threat
from climate change. Changes in rainfall patterns are damaging crops and
affecting food security. Thailand, for example, suffered a severe drought in 2010
that damaged crops across the country. A year later, devastating floods swept
through Thailand leaving behind a $40 billion damage bill It is the impact of rising
sea levels, however, that has the greatest potential to damage food security in
these river delta regions. Rice is grown in the fertile soil of low-lying river deltas.
As sea levels rise, ground and river water become saltier, killing the rice crops
Predicted changes in food production

The effects of climate change on food production will vary across the world. Some
regions may even be able to increase food production with the changes in
climate. However, for most parts of the world, and most significantly, for the
most populated parts of the world, climate change will cause a decrease in
potential food production.

Water Scarcity

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Water Scarcity

Predicted changes in food production

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