Water is important for food security, which is defined as the regular access of people to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. This is especially true in developing countries. People who have better access to water tend to have lower levels of undernourishment. If water is a key ingredient to food security, lack of it can be a major cause of famine and undernourishment, especially in areas where people depend on local agriculture for food and income.

In addition, erratic rainfall and seasonal differences in water availability can cause temporary food shortages; floods and droughts can cause some of the most intensive food emergencies.

The availability of water varies dramatically by region. But even in areas with limited or erratic water supplies, maximizing their use can increase agricultural productivity enormously. That is the key to improving food security and reducing poverty, especially in the rural areas that are home to three-quarters of the world's hungry people.

Introduction

Basic  facts

Water and food security

Managing water -  the "people" side

Technology - irrigated production

Technology - options for farmers

Use and abuse

Looking ahead

WATER AND FOOD SECURITY

 

Did you know... Drought ranks as the single most common cause of severe food shortages in developing countries.   Africa has the highest prevalence rate of hunger. After Oceania, it is also the driest continent. In Ethiopia alone, more than 57 million people have been affected by drought in the past 30 years.   In India, more than 70 percent of annual rainfall takes place during the three months of the monsoon; most of it floods out to sea. Therefore, farmers who lack irrigation must contend with water scarcity through much of the year.   In the United Republic of Tanzania, women who had ready access to water and no longer had to spend hours fetching water used the time to start market gardens, improving their diets and their incomes.