Retrieved from: Gadda
“Oil-rich Arab countries are the most “water stressed” in the world, according to a new analysis, and they are turning to buying water-rich land in other countries to secure their food supply.
“Maplecroft, a research firm, identifies Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as world’s most water-stressed countries, defined as those with the least available water per capita. It calculated the ratio of domestic, industrial and agricultural water consumption, against renewable supplies of water from precipitation, rivers and groundwater.
“As a means of offsetting shortfalls, India, South Korea and China, along with the oil-rich Gulf states, are acquiring water-rich land for agricultural purposes in developing countries to ensure the security of food supplies and decouple themselves from volatility in global food prices,” says Tom Styles, a Maplecroft analyst. “This recent phenomenon, dubbed ‘land grab,’ is taking place on a huge scale across many countries in Africa, especially those involved in post-conflict reconstruction with poor development.”
“Water stress is a major issue for the large emerging economies, including India and South Korea, which are both categorized as high-risk countries in the Maplecroft index. China is rated medium risk.
“The firm says water shortages in these countries have the potential to constrain economic development and create social unrest if dwindling resources result in higher prices and limited access for their populations.
“Hence the “land grab.”
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