The Global Water and Food Crisis: What does it look like?
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2. Who uses the water? As water flows through basins it is partitioned through different sub-systems: irrigation, rainfed crops, livestock systems, non-agricultural consumption. The remaining flow supports aquatic systems, on which fishers, sanitation and hydro-power depend. Sub-basin water balances are often unclear. They vary widely; some areas are essentially consumers of water, other areas providers. Green water flows dominate in most basins, yet it is rarely quantified.
3. How effectively is water used by agriculture? Agriculture is the dominant user of water yet how efficiently is water converted into food, income or other livelihood support? What are the gross and net gains? What are the opportunities for increasing water productivity and what are the obstacles to achieving major improvement? Is this flow represented in an agreed valuation of the resource?
4. What are the consequences of change to people’s livelihoods? A basic understanding of how different people are affected by water availability, access and use is necessary to understand how change will affect them. Can more precise knowledge of the impact of changes help prevent problems?
5. Who has the power to change? Institutional analysis holds the key to explain the points of influence. It seems important to focus not only on institutions that control water but also to understand how institutions enhance or constrain the ability of the agricultural system to change.