CropLife Asia Conveys Conservation Message this World Water Day

W ith World Water Day being marked in Asia and around the globe today, CropLife Asia took the opportunity to promote the conservation benefits being realized in agriculture through the application of plant science technologies.

With the global population expected to reach roughly 10 billion by 2050, the need for a safe and sustainable supply of nutritious food to feed more people is a daunting challenge. In 2017, the FAO shared data indicating that the number of undernourished people globally is on the rise – increasing from 777 million in 2015 to 815 million in 2016. Also contained in the FAO findings were troubling indications that food security conditions had worsened in more vulnerable parts of the world – including Western and Southeastern Asia.

As the demand for food grows, so does the role agriculture plays in ensuring its delivery. Unfortunately, estimates suggest agriculture accounts for 70% of global water use – with the World Water Council noting that 17% more water will be needed than is available to feed the growing population by 2020.

To illustrate the importance of water use in agriculture, it’s estimated that producing 1 kilogram of rice alone requires 3,400 liters of water. World rice fields consume more than 1.3 billion cubic meters of water annually, which is 21% of the global water use for crop production.

Through an increasing number of advancements, the plant science technologies of crop protection and plant biotechnology are better enabling farmers around the world to engage in water use efficiency.

By reducing weeds’ use of moisture, herbicides are helping farmers produce higher yields with the same amount of water. Meanwhile, new plant biotech traits are being added to crops such as corn, rice and cotton that will enable crops to use less water and even improve productivity under periods of drought.