Water use and food production

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of fresh water and advocating the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Food manufacture is one of the most water intensive activities in the world and it takes far less water to produce plant foods than meat. A vegetarian diet helps to decrease water consumption and pollution.

Some quick facts and figures for World Water Day

· Over 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean water and more than double that number do not have proper sanitation.

· The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) estimates that by 2025 there will be 1.8 billion people living with absolute water scarcity and two thirds of the World’s population could be living under water-stressed conditions.

· 70% of existing global freshwater is withdrawn for irrigation in agriculture.

· Livestock production accounts for over 8% of global human water consumption.

· It is estimated that by 2050 food demand will roughly double and therefore demand on water allocations for agriculture will rise.

· The total water footprint of the UK – 102 Gm3 (billion cubic meters) per year, this equates to over 4,500 litres per person per day. Agricultural products account for 73% of the total water footprint. In the livestock sector beef is the largest category for water usage followed by milk, pork and poultry.

· Meat, milk, leather and other livestock products account for 23% of global water use in agriculture – equivalent to more than 1,150 litres of water per person per day.

· Estimates of the water required to produce a kilo of beef vary, from 13,000 litres right up to 100,000 litres. The water required to produce a kilo of wheat is somewhere between 1,000-2,000 litres.

If you would like to find out more about water use and food production then visit www.vegsoc.org/environment

news 2009 index