Freshwater Scarcity and Management in the Mountainous Region презентация

Studies (NRES)
University of Northern British Columbia
Prince George, BC, CANADA

FRESHWATER SCARCITY AND MANAGEMENT IN THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION

4/17/2014

Colleague from this Class
Dr. Luna Bharati, Senior Researcher, IMWI-Nepal
Various online sources for the pictures (downloaded through Google search engine)

Acknowledgements

Presentation

(IWMI)

Physical and Economic water scarcity

people in 48 countries will face water scarcity by 2025
Of these countries, 40 countries are in West Asia, North Africa or sub-Saharan Africa
By 2050, number of water scarce countries could rise to 54 (4 billion people – about 40% of world population)

Source: Population Action International (http://www.unep.org/dewa/vitalwater/article141.html)

Projected Global Water Scarcity in 2025 ?

Towers of Asia”.
Primary Water Source for a large part of Asia’s Population
75-90% of Water is used in food production

Source: ICIMOD

of water (Current water use status: 10 – 25%))

Higher water consumption for agricultural production (to feed animals and for human consumption) (Agricultural Water Consumption: 30-50% for next few decades and 70-80% by 2050)

Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources (Climate is significantly alter the seasonality of streamflow for many Asian rivers)

are born every day
One billion additional people will be in 2050 (growing meat consumption)
In 2050, per capita meat consumption will double and half of cereal production will be used to feed animal
Irrigated croplands (85,783,000 ha): mainly for rice production
Water from the Himalayas and the central Asian mountain support the production of over 500 Million tonnes of cereals per year (55% of Asia’s and 25% of world’s cereal production)
By 2050, global cereal production needs to be about 3000 million tonnes to meet the demand (FAO)

hydrological significance

Brahmaputra, Yangtse, Huang He (Yellow River), Tarim, Syr Darya, Amu Darya, Mekong, Salween, and Irrawaddy
The rivers are depending on glacial water and snowmelt from the mountains.
Rising temperature and changes in monsoon might be a major cause for decreasing glacierized area
Temperature is increasing by 0.03°C per year in the region and even faster at higher altitudes
Water Flows consistently decrease on the snow and glacier fed rivers, and less in rain-fed rivers.

River basins and their hydrological significance

watersheds (mainly due to poorly managed urbanization and industry)
Landslides and Floods (impact on agricultural lands and hydrogeology)
Climate change (increasing drought and flood: already challenged by seasonal water scarcity)
Shifting of agro-ecological zones due to climate change
High price of inputs in agriculture (fertilizers and seed) and access to market

(Therefore, Cereal production of Asia will be least by 10-30% lower than projected)

of commodity and food (Less production and high demand, on an average 30-50% will increase in food price)
Increasing poverty (spending 70-80% of income on food)
Increasing infant and child mortality
Key causes of the current food crisis are combined effects of ;
Speculation in food stocks
Extreme weather events
Low cereal stocks
Growth in biofuels use
High oil prices

too much water in monsoon and much less water in winter
So, challenge is to store excess water of high water availability period and use in extreme drought periods
Therefore, need to introduce watershed interventions technology like; storage pond, infiltration pond, terracing farm land, afforestation etc. (in the perspective of land management and water storage development)

hill region of Nepal

the context of Nepal

‘Blue Revolution’ ahead; food crisis will be a major problem in the world in future
Watershed interventions to preserve excess water of monsoon in surface or sub-surface to fulfill demand of the dry period
Identify alternative to cereal in animal feed
Promote small scale farming business to adapt impact of the climate change
Promote eco-based farming system to minimize the spread of invasive species, and to maintain bio-diversity and ecosystem services.
Focus on small scale watershed interventions and improved irrigation systems (application of water according to plant demand)

– a ‘blue revolution’ in water efficiency is needed to adapt to Asia’s looming water crisis. Sustainable Mountain Development, ICIMOD, No. 56. 6 – 9.
Siddiqui, S.; Bharati, L.; Panta, M.; Gurung, P.; Rakhal, B.; Maharjan, L.D.; 2012. Nepal: Building Climate Resilience in Watersheds in Mountain Eco-Regions. Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report for Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management (DSCWM), Government of Nepal and Asian Development Bank (ADB). International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
Rijsberman, F.R.; 2006. Water scarcity: Fact or fiction? Agricultural Water Management. 80. 5 – 22.
Sugden, F.; Shrestha, L.; Bharati, L.; Gurung, P.; Maharjan, L.; Janmaat, J.; Price, J.; Sherpa, T.; 2013. Field Report on Small Agricultural Water Storage in Nepal. Lessons for up-scaling storage systems in the Koshi basin. International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
Vaidhya, R.A.; 2009. The Role of Water Storage in Adaptation to Climate Change in the HKH Region. Sustainable Mountain Development, ICIMOD, No. 56. 10 – 13.

References

run out of water or not?

… fact or fiction?

Is this debate really helpful to increase crop water productivity?

………Green and Blue Revolution ?