China Faces Freshwater Shortage

Scientists call for the adoption of water-saving technologies in the face of China’s dire freshwater shortage driven by agricultural production.

AsianScientist (May 22, 2014) – A team of scientists from China, Australia and Canada has reviewed China’s freshwater shortage, highlighting ways in which agricultural water usage can be reduced to achieve greater efficiency and productivity.

The study, which was published in Advances in Agronomy, revealed that China faces severe freshwater shortages.

“The northern part of the country has an average freshwater availability of 760 cubic meter per capita per year, 25 percent below the internationally accepted threshold for water scarcity,” the authors wrote.

At the same time, China is drastically increasing agricultural production to feed a 1.3 billion population. The increased production of grain to meet projected demands will further strain the already insufficient water supply.

The study summarizes key technologies developed from recent research projects dealing with water-saving issues in arid and semi-arid north-western China to sustain the grain industry.

“We discuss integrated and innovative approaches for developing water-saving agricultural systems,” said Professor Kadambot Siddique of the University of Western Australia. “Our goal is to encourage the implementation of innovative technologies to reduce agricultural water use, increase crop water-use efficiency and improve agricultural productivity.”

Together with India and the US, China is one of the three largest agricultural producers that all face pressure for over-pumping and depleting water from aquifers, which are underground water-bearing layers that also provide water for cities and villages.

The article can be found at: Chai et al. (2014) Water-Saving Innovations in Chinese Agriculture.

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Source: The University of Western Australia; Photo: Ian Sane/CC/Flickr.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Alan Aw is a maths enthusiast who likes sharing the fun and beauty of science with others. Besides reading, he enjoys running, badminton, and listening to (and occasionally playing) Bach or Zez Confrey.

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