Purpose of Symposium
“Water scarcity is one of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century.” FAO 2017
Agriculture is both a source and a victim of water scarcity. Currently half of the world’s population is living in areas that experience water scarcity for at least one month a year; about 70% of global water withdrawals are already allocated to agriculture and livestock production; and a third of the world’s groundwater systems are already in distress. What will happen with a growing food demand and competition for water availability from other sectors and urban areas? How can we contribute to tackling one of the biggest challenges (water stress) of this century?
This symposium aims at presenting opportunities for new technologies, innovative agricultural practices, and policies that can mitigate the impact of water scarcity on food security and food safety. In addition to new technological solutions and conservation efforts, we invite communications on water policy, economics, sustainability programs and agronomic practices that could contribute to protect this precious resource. Whether the focus is on supply, recycling technologies, water management or demand reduction, contributions from different fields of research are welcomed.
There is an urgent need to address water scarcity by delivering integrated solutions to prevent food crisis, water supply disruptions and population migration. This program will be of interest to AGRO, ENVR, and AGFD members.
For a flyer about this symposium, please click here.
