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A Rock and a Hard Place: Water Shortages in Mexico, Egypt and China

January 12, 2010

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Over the past year several countries including Mexico, Egypt and China have experienced extreme water crises.

By Jessica Simmons, Produce More, Conserve More Staff

In the past year, Mexico, Egypt and China have experienced water crises. These crises have left each of these countries in a difficult position — one that, according to Dr. Jeffrey Sachs’ prediction in a Guardian piece, will only get worse in the coming years if nothing is done to change the current course.

Mexico
Mexico is suffering from its worst drought in six decades. According to The New York Times, rainfall – already limited during most of the year – has been unusually light during the country’s recent rainy season, the result of an El Niño effect this past summer that has impacted weather patterns.

The economic impact of the crisis has been severe. In rural areas, farmers have reported more than $1 billion in crop losses, and the total impact – including a shortage of staple foods – could be felt into 2010. The food shortage, in particular, is troubling to Mexican officials; according to the Los Angeles Times, the shortage could force the country to raise imports and in turn raise food costs.

What’s most ironic about this water crisis? Almost 700 years ago, the Aztecs built what would become Mexico City on an island in the middle of a massive lake.

Egypt
Thousands of miles away, Egyptians and others in the Middle East and North Africa “are forced to choose between growing more crops to feed an expanding population or preserving their already scant supply of water,” stated a New York Times piece. In years past, the country has had to reduce its production of major exports such as rice in an effort to grow crops that are not as water-intensive. In a Bloomberg article, Egypt’s Agriculture Minister, Amin Abaza, stressed the need for the country to conserve water and also modernize its irrigation systems.

Conservation and modernization may become even more essential in the very near future, considering that agriculture accounted for 83.3 percent of Egypt’s water consumption in 2007 and 2008. A recent Reuters article also noted that Egypt’s water needs will surpass its supply by 2017.

China
China has faced similar situations over the years. According to BusinessWeek, 300 million Chinese living in rural areas – or almost one-quarter of the total population – don’t have access to safe drinking water. And 400 out of 600 Chinese cities are facing water shortages. The World Meteorological Association reports that in 2009 China suffered the country’s worst drought in 50 years, which decreased the water levels of several important rivers to their lowest point in that same time frame.

Droughts and water shortages have been a persistent problem throughout China’s long history, the result of a huge population as well as geographic disparities across the country and unpredictable availability of water resources, as noted in a Forbes piece. These shortages, of course, affect the production of crops: For example, in 2009, China’s corn harvest decreased by 13 percent due to drought in the country’s major crop-growing areas.

According to a Reuters article, climate change has made it even more difficult for already-impoverished farmers to find water for their crops. It has also changed the length of growing seasons and average temperatures. The article details that some experts believe agricultural productivity could fall up to 24 percent in coming years if the Chinese do not adopt improved irrigation techniques and enhanced crop varieties.

A Critical Moment
Water crises have left these countries stuck between a rock and a hard place: As world populations grow, demand for fresh water for drinking, agriculture production and other needs will inevitably continue to increase.

At this critical moment, the actions these governments take will impact their citizens’ wellbeing, their economies’ futures and the world community for years to come. Water efficiency will be key, and we must embrace the technologies and innovations that will allow us to have ample natural resources even as the global population continues to increase.

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