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IWP Research Seminar

Global Food and Water Trade-offs and Possible Future Pathways

The presentation gives results about the food and water trade-offs in terms of future food requirements. The findings highlight the dilemma of physical limits in terms of water extractions coupled with the need to increase food production is already sufficiently pronounced at a global level that ‘business as usual’ in terms of water extractions for agriculture is not sustainable. This poses a food-water dilemma given that world food requirements are likely to increase by about 60% to 2050 and that irrigation currently accounts for 70% of global water extractions. Even in the absence of growth in water use for domestic and industrial purposes, there are food-water trade-offs such that while there may be sufficient land to meet national food requirements in 2050, there may inadequate water supplies in the form of surface and groundwater to grow the food. The analysis suggests that what is required is a ‘real green revolution’. This could include: (1) efficient and effective agro-ecological approaches to food production to increase ‘green total factor productivity in agriculture and (2) freeing up food trade to help meet the food likely food deficits in countries with large populations and projected food and/or water deficits.
Seminar Room 3-5,
Manasseh Meyer,
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy,
469E Bukit Timah Road,
Singapore 259772
Mon 13 June 2016
12:15 PM - 01:30 PM

Prof Quentin Grafton

Prof Quentin Grafton

Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; Adjunct Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy; Chairholder, UNESCO Chair in Water Economics and Transboundary Water Governance

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Prof Robert Wasson

Prof Robert Wasson

Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy