Water and Food Insecurity in Developing Countries:Major Challenges for the 21st Century

World population is projected to reach almost 8 billion people around the year 2025 (UN 1999). This expected increase has raised considerable debate about the world's ability to meet future food needs (Rosegrant et. al. 2001a; Scanes and Miranowski 2004). However, food is only one serious concern. The implications of a parallel, but related, growth in demand for water are profound and far-reaching. Already more than 1 billion people live without access to clean water, many of whom inhabit developing countries classified as 'water scarce'2. Yet the number of water-scarce countries is expected to rise to 30 by the year 2025, of which 21 will be low-income food-deficit countries home to 1.8 billion people (IWMI 2000). The task of ensuring adequate access to water will therefore be one of the most difficult challenges facing development professionals in the 21st century; at least as hard as ensuring food security.