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Today is the World Water Day

Today, on 22 March, we celebrate the annual World Water Day in order to draw attention to major water problems around the globe. This time the Water Day will be devoted to water and food security.

“In order to have enough food, we also need to protect water. The world population keeps on growing and by 2050 we will have to produce approximately 70% more food, which would require more clean water for food preparation. The water resource, however, is limited. Water is in short supply and its quality is degraded by pollution,” explains Rene Reisner, chief specialist of the Water Department at the Ministry of the Environment.

 
According to Reisner, water and food-related problems are most acute in developing countries. “Water is in short supply due to water shortages or droughts, which is why it is impossible to produce and prepare food,” he pointed out. In the previous century, droughts caused more deaths that any other natural disaster. In developed countries, food supplies are threatened primarily by pollution, climate change and excessive food wastage. On average, one third of food is constantly wasted.

 
“Although Estonia does not experience water shortages directly, water and food security is important primarily for agriculture and food industry,” Reisner said. “Long drought periods and floods may cause damage to grain crops and the water used for food preparation may degrade food quality or raise the food prices. Another threat to water in all countries is the changing eating habits of population. For instance, the growing consumption of meat requires greater use of water: about 15,000 litres of water are spent to produce just one kilogram of beef,” he explained.

 
To ensure sufficient water and food supplies, it is necessary to use the water more efficiently and avoid its wastage. New technologies should be implemented in food production and preparation in order to save water and, if possible, recover the water that has already been used. The eating habits and behaviour of people should also change to reduce wastage. The reduction of food waste and loss alone by about half would help save 1350 cubic kilometres of water each year across the globe.

 

The Word Water Day will be celebrated on the initiative of the UN for the 19^th time. In earlier years, the Water Day has focused among other things on water and natural disasters, future, protection of women’s rights, water quality and development of cities. More information about the World Water Day can be found at: http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/.