This year, the theme for World Water Day (WWD) is “Water and Food Security”.
The campaign reminds us that the world is thirsty because of our needs for food. Each of us needs to drink 2 to 4 litres of water every day. But it takes 2 000 to 5 000 litres of water to produce one person’s daily food.
Today, there are over 7 billion people to feed on the planet and this number is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. To be able to feed everybody, we first need to secure water, in sufficient quantity and adequate quality. We will also need to produce more food using less water, reduce food wastage and losses, and move towards more sustainable diets.
Protecting biodiversity and its ecosystem services is key to securing water for the world’s population. For example, 8% of the world’s forests have soil and water conservation as their primary objective. Healthy forest ecosystems reduce the effects of floods and droughts, prevent soil erosion, landslides, desertification and salinization. Forests capture and regulate water and assure high quality water supply for domestic, agricultural, industrial and ecological needs.
Think of ways to make your 2012 Green Wave celebration an occasion to learn and raise awareness about the links between tree and forest biodiversity and water ecosystems!
You want to know what is the water footprint of your typical meal? Take a few seconds to play 'How much water is on your plate', a virtual game created by WWD and One Drop.
WWD is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of water and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. WWD is coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).