News

Report urges water saving

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization – the FAO – says over-consumption of water and the impact of climate change threaten food security and water supplies in the world’s neediest regions.  The organization says there WILL be enough water to produce food for 9 billion people in 2050, but production has to be done sustainably to be sure there’s enough food and water for the future.

The report, unveiled this week at the World Water Forum in South Korea, is pushing for crops, livestock and fish to be produced in ways that save water.  The report says failing to do that will make it difficult to reduce poverty and ensure food security in many developing nations.

The FAO says that by 2050, 60 per cent more food will be needed to feed the world, putting added stress on water supplies.  The organization says agriculture is already the most water-intensive industry.  In many countries, it says, farming accounts for about two-thirds of the water drawn from rivers, lakes and aquifers.