I just listened to this very interesting webcast from David Molden of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) on “growing enough food without enough water”. His view is that we need to think about water storage again and manage water demand as part of climate change mitigation measures. While he emphasises the need to craft local solutions, Molden identifies the following pathways:

 

·         Investment in rainfed agriculture

·         Investment in irrigation

·         Promotion of trade from highly productive to less productive regions

·         Management of demand by consuming and wasting less

 

Check out this story about how Asian countries are facing chronic food shortages and social unrest if they do not spend billions of dollars to improve antiquated crop water management to cope with rapid population increases. Read the joint report by the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).