World Water Day: Water and Food Security

It's International World Water Day today! World Water Day was first recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Each year has a specific theme, and this year's theme is Water and Food Security. According to the World Water Day website, food security "exists when all people at all times have both physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life."

All food production requires water. In fact, 70% of global water withdrawal goes toward irrigation. Production of one beef steak takes 7000 liters of water!

What can you do to learn more?

• Visit the World Water Day website to learn more about how our water footprints are affecting global food security.
• Check out our recommended reading lists: Environmental Justice, Water Conservation, and Is Water Becoming Scarce?
• Visit the Water Research Guide 
• Ask Water!