Global Food Security at Risk Due to Water Shortage says Study

The world food supply is under threat because there are only a few countries that feed the world and many of them are increasingly facing water shortages, according to three recently published reports.

The reports emphasise the immediate need for making changes in various areas, such as decreasing food waste, rehabilitating wetlands, establishing sustainable water use goals for companies, and accurately determining the cost of water. In countries such as Brazil, China, and southern Africa, the dangers are already apparent as droughts and extreme weather conditions have resulted in higher food prices and food insecurity.

According to a study released by the World Resources Institute, 25 per cent of global crop is produced in regions facing water scarcity, unreliability, or both.

A report by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water said that 50 per cent of the world's food production is located in regions where water availability is expected to reduce. “The water crisis threatens more than half of the world's food production by 2050 and could cause an 8 per cent loss of GDP in countries globally, with losses as high as 15 per cent in lower-income nations, alongside even larger economic consequences,” it said.

According to the study by the EU's environmental agency, certain wet regions of Europe are experiencing a trend towards increased dryness.

The data from the World Resources Institute highlighted the dangers faced by Maize, Rice and Wheat as these are the main sources of calories for the 8 billion people on Earth. Around one-third of these crops are cultivated in regions with high water stress or unpredictable rainfall patterns worldwide.

In an analysis that accompanied the latest data, the institute stated that although farmers have adjusted to some fluctuations in water supply, the competition and climate change are pushing available resources to their maximum capacity. Therefore, cultivating crops in these regions jeopardises food security.

Ten countries, including the US and China, account for almost 75 per cent of the world's major irrigated crops such as sugar, wheat, and cotton. According to the World Resources Institute, the majority of these crops are experiencing significant water stress.