Virtual water highway: water use efficiency in global food trade

H. Yang (1) , L. Wang (1) , K. C. Abbaspour (1) , A. J. B. Zehnder (2)

1 Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology
2 Board of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

Amid an increasing water scarcity in many parts of the world, virtual water trade as both a policy instrument and practical means to balance the regional, national and global water budget has received much attention in recent years. Built upon the knowledge of virtual water accounting in the literature, this study examines the efficiency of the resource use embodied in the global virtual water trade from the perspectives of exporting and importing countries. Different characteristics between "green" and "blue" virtual water corresponding to rainfed and irrigated agriculture are elaborated. The investigation reveals that the virtual water flows primarily from countries of high water productivity to countries of low water productivity, generating a global saving of water resources. Meanwhile, the domination of green virtual water in the total virtual water trade constitutes low opportunity costs and environmental impacts as opposed to blue virtual water. The results suggest efficiency gains in the global food trade in terms of water resource utilization. The study raises awareness of negative impacts of increasing reliance on irrigation for food production in many countries, including food exporting countries. The findings of the study call for a greater emphasis on rainfed agriculture to improve global food security and environmental sustainability.

Domaines: Interfaces continentales, environnement; Océan, Atmosphère; Sciences de la Terre

H. Yang, L. Wang, K. C. Abbaspour, A. J. B. Zehnder. Virtual water highway: water use efficiency in global food trade. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2006, 3 (1), pp.1-26. ⟨hal-00298638⟩