The “vampiric” human race is exhausting the planet’s water resources, “drop by drop,” warned the UN, just before a major water summit was due to begin on Wednesday 22nd March aimed at responding to the needs of billions of people at risk in the face of an ‘imminent’ global water crisis.
“Overconsumption and excessive overdevelopment, unsustainable use of water resources, pollution and unchecked global warming, are draining this ‘lifeblood’ of humanity,” warned the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
It is imperative for humanity to reacts urgently and take radical decisions if this trend is to be reversed.
In agriculture, there are solutions available, such as the development of drought-resistant crops and the more widespread use of soil conservation techniques.
As far as we are concerned, in the irrigation sector, the manufacturers are tirelessly developing new
low-flow irrigation methods, sensors and weather stations and remotely-controlled irrigation systems, to ensure that the plant only receives the precise amount of water required. From now on, it will be essential to manage the water and soil properly and this practice must become more widespread if there is to be a glimmer of hope in dealing with this unprecedented crisis.