Land degradation, water scarcity threatening food security, says FAO

A recent UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report reminds us again of the vital importance of caring for our freshwater resources. The report, titled “State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture,” warns that while food production during the last 50 years witnessed notable increase, the achievements in many places were associated with management practices that degraded land and water systems.

There are tough times ahead as the world food production sector strives to keep pace with the growth in population, with some developing countries needing a 100 percent increase in food production by 2050. The report also adds that climate change is expected to alter the patterns of temperature, precipitation and river flows, and estimates a needed gross investment of $1 trillion dollars between 2007 and 2050 for irrigation management in developing countries. Land protection and development, soil conservation and flood control will require investment of another $160 billion during the period, says the FAO.