Water Reform Needed or Asia Faces Possible Food Shortage by 2050

A new report titled "Revitalizing Asia's Irrigation: To Sustainably Meet Tomorrow's Food Needs", was presented today at 2009 World Water Week in Stockholm by the International Water Management Institute and warns that without water reform Asia could face a food shortage by 2050.

The comprehensive new study of irrigation in Asia warns that, without major reforms and innovations in the way water is used for agriculture, many developing nations face the politically risky prospect of having to import more than a quarter of the rice, wheat and maize they will need by 2050.

The study was carried out by IWMI and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) along with researchers from partner organizations with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It outlines three options for meeting the food needs of Asia's population, which will expand by one and a half billion people over the next 40 years. The first is to import large quantities of cereals from other regions; the second to improve and expand rain fed agriculture; and the third to focus on irrigated farmlands.

"Today, the option of expanding irrigated land area in Asia to feed a growing population is becoming increasingly problematic due to land or water constraints," explained Aditi Mukherji, IWMI scientist and one of the lead authors of the report.

To meet expected cereal demand by 2050, IWMI's projections show that, with present trends of yield growth, we would have to increase by 30 percent the amount of irrigated farmland in South Asia, and 47 percent in East Asia. Without water productivity gains South Asia would need 57 percent more water for irrigated agriculture and East Asia 70 percent more. Given the existing scarcity of land and water, and growing water needs of cities, such a scenario is untenable. This clearly points to a need for dramatic increases in water productivity, which can only be achieved with a complete revitalization of irrigation infrastructure, management and policy.

References:

1. IWWI Water Knowledge Hub on Irrigation Service Reform
2. Revitalizing Asia's Irrigation: to sustainably meet tomorrow's food needs (Lead authors: Aditi Mukherji & Thierry Facon)