Virtual Water & Arab Food Security
Dr. Ahmed A.Goueli & Dr.Afaf Abd El Moneim
Water is the scarcest resource in the Arab region. The geographical area of the Arab region makes 10% of the world, and it represented 5% of the world population. Its share in global water resource is only 0.48%. Per capita water is only 876 cu meters if compared with world per capita 8696 cu meters.
Agriculture uses around 86% all water resources. Seventeen Arab countries are below water poverty line represents almost 75% of countries in the region; the number will increase by the year 2025 to represent 95% of countries in the region.
The area suffers from aridity, most of its food production is rain fed (around 80%) – Dependence on rain in agriculture creates severe instability in food production and it has unfavorable impact on food security.
Due to scarcity of water and increase in food demand in the Arab region, there is great dependence on food imports to achieve food security. Population growth in the Arab region is 2.4% annually, and there is a strong trend towards urbanization and depletion of water resources.
The annual average quantity imported in the period (2001 – 2003) in the Arab region is 95 million tons of which 68.0 million tons of plant origin, and 27.00 million tons of animal protein.
Arab region imports all types of food mainly cereals, sugar, vegetable oil, meat, dairy products, etc.
Estimated water to produce Arab imports locally is about 292 billion cubic meters, which is approximately equal to the existing amount of surface water in the region. In other words, if the Arab region world likes to be self-sufficient in food, its water resources must be doubled, which is impossible under the existing conditions.
The Arab region has to expand its exports in order to be able to pay for the food import bill.