Water Transfer
The issue of consuming water is intertwined with the transfer of water; the subtleties provide a macroscopic and microscopic perspective on how water is being consumed and transferred. As a global network, the world is consuming about 80% of the total water in the agricultural sector. The article entitled Evolution of the Global Virtual Water Trade Network states that the international food trade has led to enhanced savings in global water resources over time. The water used throughout the production process of goods is referred to as virtual water. The trade of food may provide an avenue for increasing the efficiency of water use by encouraging exchanges of virtual water from highly productive countries to less productive countries, which could result in decreased water use per amount of crop. Virtual water that had been associated with food trade has been shown to save about 6% of the water used in agriculture, in which the article stated more exploration needs to occur in this region. The study focuses on the international trade between all nations and incorporate annual model estimates of product-specific water use in each country. Imbedded in the study, are the most important commodities: barely, corn, rice, soy, wheat, beef, pork and poultry. These commodities provide about 60% of the global caloric consumption of 22 % of global water withdrawal. Furthermore, the study highlights the number of food trade relationships and the associated virtual water volumes both grew significantly from 1986 to 2007. Not only that, there is a large degree of heterogeneity in the use of water between regions. This provides a basis for understanding that the water is not necessarily consumed from few major areas due to particular crops.
Positive light was shed on the behavior of international trade and the use of water in the time scale of the study’s data. China provided almost 96% of saved water that was associated with soy, due to them importing instead of cultivating. The trade of soybean has increased in volume in China and a decrease of the virtual water consumption of soybean in exporting countries has also become a product. In addition, as countries increase their imports of certain crops, they increase their agricultural water use efficiency for that specific crop. The study leaves of on a positive note, stating that the food trade has become more efficient in terms of global water resources used over time and understanding the role of international trade in water use is pivotal and can be utilized in a beneficial manner.
As the macroscopic view was discussed in the article Evolution of the Global Virtual Water Trade Network, the article entitled China’s water diversion project starts to flow to Beijing provides a microscopic view on the topic of water transfer. The South-North Water Diversion was initiated by China which is designed to divert 44.8 bn cubic meters of water annually from China’s humid south to the northern region that focuses on industrialization. The project has been surrounded by more criticism than more praise. Local farmers who resided on the landed and were reliant on the regions water, have been displaced to regions water is nowhere close to being as abundant. Wang Yanhe, was a farmer who has been displaced due to the construction of the project and has stated due to the drought, the yields for the crops in the region of relocation are beyond poor. Due to the poor yields and lack of water, he is forced to look for a construction job to simply survive.
Other criticisms have stated that the economy of China has grown to shadow the concern for the environment. “More than half of the China’s 50,000 rivers have vanished over the past two decades. About 70% of its remaining fresh water is polluted. In addition to the pollution predicament, droughts associated with weather can be detrimental to a local region, as well as, economic droughts which occur when the demand for water is substantially higher than the supply. Solutions have been offered to alleviate some of this burden. Using recycled water instead of diverting water may provide more efficient and renewable use of water. Developing water desalinization technology and the collection of rainwater may alternative solutions to the water diversion issue.
From the macroscopic perspective in international food trade and the water use associated with it, to the microscopic view in transfer of water from abundant regions to depraved regions; these are deeply intertwined. Increasing imports with specific crops has been shown to decrease virtual water consumption and in the case of soy, China exemplifies in that decrease in water use associated with soy. Not on a precautionary basis, but more to highlight the possibilities available, more efficient water use can be achieved. The South-North Water Diversion project must not be perceived as a long-term solution and China needs to focus on the effective use of water conservation. Positivity and efficiency is possible as the data shows, if previous unsustainable habits are broken and mindsets are changed, change can occur.
