The World Bank Group says that smarter management of water resources across the global food system can help feed a projected population of 10 billion people by 2050 while creating nearly 245 million long-term jobs, many of them in sub-Saharan Africa.
The World Bank in its report, titled Nourish and Flourish: Water Solutions to Feed 10 Billion People on a Livable Planet, noted that current agricultural water management practices, marked by overuse in some regions and underuse in others, cannot sustainably meet future food demand.
According to the report, under existing systems, global agriculture can reliably support food production for less than half of the world’s population.
The World Bank stated that rebalancing how water is allocated, alongside smarter crop placement and stronger trade systems, could significantly increase food production while protecting ecosystems and improving economic resilience.
“The way we manage water for food will have profound implications for jobs, livelihoods, and economic growth,” said Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer of the World Bank Group.
The report by Punch newspaper on Wednesday quoted the World Bank as saying in the report that better decisions on where crops are grown, how water is distributed and how trade supports food security can strengthen resilience and expand economic opportunity.
GIK/APA