HAPPENING AT THE UN
WORLD FOOD DAY
When we talk about nutrition, we think it’s about eating whereas the issue mainly concerns water. There seems to be a lot of it, everywhere. Seas and oceans cover over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. The fact is that only 2.5 percent of the water at our disposal is soft, that is, drinkable and suitable for use in agriculture and various industrial activities. And this is the reason why this liquid, in addition to being a large part of the material of which our organism is made, is the driving force of the economy and nature as well as the basic element of the food pyramid. To reflect on this theme, the United Nations established World Food Day, on 16 October of each year. The moment is useful to delve deeper into various issues that are much more complex than they appear, originating from one fact: agriculture is responsible for 72 percent of freshwater consumption.
The alarm comes from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which highlights how rapid demographic growth, urbanisation, economic development and climate change are increasingly putting a strain on our planet’s water resources.
So, it’s fine to take a slightly shorter shower and turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, but it’s not enough to help the 2.4 billion people who live in countries subject to water stress. Many of them are small farmers already struggling to meet their daily needs, in particular indigenous populations, migrants and refugees. Within these categories, the most disadvantaged are women. Obviously, competition for access to this fundamental resource is becoming increasingly fierce, with the consequence that water itself is steadily becoming the cause of armed conflicts. Once again, rights, hunger, environment, war, economy and technology prove to be closely linked.
Just to give a few examples, according to FAO data, around 600 million people depend, at least in part, on aquatic food systems and are exposed to the effects of pollution, ecosystem degradation, unsustainable practices and climate change. It is therefore necessary to produce more food and other agricultural raw materials with less water. This is a technological problem. At the same time, aquatic food systems must be safeguarded and for this we need environmental experts. Furthermore, we must ensure that the benefits are distributed equitably, leaving no one behind. This is the task of economics. Finally, politics is called upon to define strategies that exploit scientific data, innovation and intersectoral coordination in order to plan and manage water resources better.
In short, we continue to save water in our homes, but let us not delude ourselves that it is enough. There is much more to be done at a scientific and political level to avoid climate disasters and wars. Time is short, but it hasn’t run out yet.
