Water is essential for agricultural production and food security. It is the lifeblood of ecosystems, including forests, lakes and wetlands, on which our present and future food and nutritional security depends. Growing water scarcity is now one of the leading challenges for sustainable development. This challenge will become more pressing as the world's population continues to grow, their living standards increase, diets change and the effects of climate change intensify.
The Near East and North Africa (NENA) regions’ fresh water resources are among the lowest in the world: The quantity available per capita have decreased by two-thirds during the last 40 years and is expected to fall over 50 percent by 2050. Ninety percent of the total land in the region lies within arid, semi/arid and dry sub/humid areas, while 45% of the total agricultural area is exposed to salinity, soil nutrient depletion and wind or water related erosion. At the same time, agriculture in the region uses approximately 85 percent of the total available freshwater.
The 'water we eat' daily through the food we consume is much more than what we drink. Did you know, depending on the diet, we need 2 000 to 5 000 litres of water to produce the food consumed daily by one person? Evidence suggests that two-thirds of the world population could be living in water-stressed countries by 2025 if current consumption patterns continue. To achieve a #ZeroHunger world by 2030, we need to take action now.
Reducing a person’s individual water footprint, combating collective and individual water misuse, overuse, and waste and is essential everywhere. However, It is critical in countries where water is dramatically rare and on the verge of depletion if we want to ensure a sustainable future to our societies. This approach emphasizes that water sustainability begins with prevention (reducing water misuse and waste) and requires adaptation. This campaign is linked to three very important themes: innovation, youth and women, which are currently considered top priority themes.
Therefore, #EveryDropCounts - Water is life. Water is food. Water is your responsibility. The Every Drop Counts campaign aims to raise awareness on the rising issue of water scarcity, the importance of combating misuse and overuse of water, and the adoption of sustainable water practices.