Water supply: a key problem for agriculture and food production in the 21st century

Food security depends to a very large extent on water security. The amount of food produced globally through irrigation is growing continually. Pressure on agriculture, which uses about 70 % of the world's fresh water supply available to mankind, is mounting. "More crop per drop" is the motto. However, the industrial sector and private households, with their various demands for water, must contribute as well when it comes to being more careful with this vital resource. Water is not distributed equally on earth. Where it is scarce, it is usually of lesser quality, with all the negative consequences for human consumption. As can be observed in the Near East, water has already become a source of trouble between nations. With an ever increasing world population, the problem is getting bigger. National and international politics must therefore pay more attention to the issue of water; people's awareness about water must be raised.