Report Warns Better Farming Techniques Necessary To Offset Future Water Demands

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Report Warns Better Farming Techniques Necessary To Offset Future Water Demands

AFP (8/22) reports, "Population growth and water stress are driving Earth to a food and environmental crunch that only better farming techniques and smarter use of the ecosystem will avert, a UN report issued on Monday said." The 35-page assessment "was compiled by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), drawing mainly on estimates in peer-reviewed journals." The report states with the worldwide population expecting to increase from seven billion in 2011 to nine billion by 2050, more water is needed, as already 1.6 billion people suffer from water scarcity. The report adds, "With the same (farming) practices, increased urbanisation and dietary patterns, the amount of water required for agriculture in terms of evapotranspiration would increase from 7,130 cubic kilometres (1,711 cubic miles) today to 70-90 percent more to feed nine billion people by 2050." Read more: http://j.mp/o4pOP1

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