Discussion topic

Food Production and Water Consumption

4/22/2008 10:46:04 AM

During the 1990’s, it was calculated that 40% of the all the world''s supply of grains was consumed by the 4.3 billion large domesticated animals and 17 billion birds.

In confinement, you can produce 1 kilogram of chicken or fish with only 2 kg of cereal. For a kg of pork, it is necessary to double the amount of cereal. To produce a kilogram of beef, the amount of grain increases to 7 kg. It is also known that to produce one kilogram of grain it requires a ton of water, while a kg of beef requires an amount 15 times greater to be produced.

The production of animal protein occupies land and consumes water, the same as the production of grains which feed the animals.

It is estimated that by 2025, world production of cereals will need to grow to about 40% to meet growing global consumption. It is unclear whether that additional production can occur naturally on land irrigated by rain, without the necessity of any additional investments in irrigation systems.

In the next 50 years, the demand for food in the world will double, greatly increasing   water consumption to produce that food.

Another significant statistic refers to the volume of water consumed in agriculture:  70 times greater than all of the water that is used for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing. We also know that the water used in agriculture is one of the causes of degradation of ecosystems. Animals lose their habitats, the rivers are consumed in irrigation systems and there is a reduction in the level of groundwater.

At the same time that food production must be increased in the upcoming decades, with a consequent increase in the volume of water needed for this additional production, it is imperative that both water and ecosystems (that animals and humans depend on to survive) are saved and preserved.

An increase in the amount of water used in agriculture, in the order of 35%, may result in an increase of only 20% of water consumed, instead of 80%, to produce the food needed within 50 years.

The following gives us important information on the current availability of water:

It is understood that there is physical water scarcity when more than 75% of water flow from rivers is being used in agriculture, industries or in domestic consumption. When the index reaches more than 60%, however, it is obvious that we are approaching physical water scarcity in the near future. When the water resources are abundant in relation to how much is consumed (meaning less than 25% of the waters of rivers and lakes are used for human consumption and malnutrition still exists) then it is a case of economic water scarcity. The situation where less than 25% of the water of the rivers is used for human consumption is regarded as little or no water scarcity.

To produce the food that is expected to be consumed within 32 years, the total amount of water consumed in agriculture should be increased from 7200 cubic km to 13500 cubic km.



What do you think?

Think you have a good solution for this topic?

share this discussion topic with a friend