TODAY, 8 OCTOBER 2024, ROME HOSTS THE VI EDITION OF WATER FORUMAN EVENT DEDICATED TO LEARNING IN DEPTH THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO THE WATER CRISIS AND ITS DRAMATIC CONSEQUENCES ON AGRICULTURE. THIS MEETING REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPARISON BETWEEN SECTOR EXPERTS AND INSTITUTIONS, WITH THE AIM OF TAKING STOCK ON INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO DEAL WITH THE EMERGENCY. SPECIFICALLY, THE FORUM FOCUSES ON THE PROMOTION OF THE SUSTAINABLE REUSE OF RESOURCES AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THE NOW TANGIBLE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Water in agriculture: an increasingly scarce and precious resource
The global water crisis is one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, especially for agriculture, which consumes approximately 70% of the planet’s resources.
This emergency knows no borders and threatens food security globally. According to the World Resources Institute of Washington, (United States) the demand for water is expected to exceed available supply by at least 40% by 2030, unless significant measures are taken to improve the efficiency and management of water resources.
Countries like India and Brazil are already grappling with growing competition between various sectors: agriculture, industry and civilian consumption are fighting to grab this increasingly scarce resource.
The causes of this water crisis are multiple and interconnected. On the one hand, the increase in the world population has increased the demand for food, which entails the need to use greater quantities of water for irrigating crops (as well as for personal use). On the other hand, the expansion of urban areas is taking away land from agriculture, further worsening the situation.
The Italian situation
In Italy, a country with a strong agricultural vocation, the problem of water scarcity is particularly acute. In the north, the abundance of water resources has historically made it possible to support a wide range of intensive crops. However, even in this area the resources are now threatened by pollution and overexploitation.
In the south, the agricultural sector is increasingly challenged by reduced water availability, aggravated by climate change. Phenomena such as prolonged droughts and extreme temperatures are compromising river basins, accentuating the precariousness of the situation.
Projections indicate that, by 2050, southern agricultural areas could see a reduction in productivity up to 25%, precisely due to drought.
In addition to the low quantity, the pollution of waterways, mainly due to livestock practices and the intensive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, is compromising water ecosystems and the healthiness of this precious irrigation asset. This not only harms the health of the environment, but also undermines the long-term sustainability of agricultural production.
To address this crisis, it is essential to develop globally coordinated solutions, but it is equally important to implement specific local interventions.
These are the themes of VI Water Foruman important opportunity to explore innovative strategies and share good practices aimed at ensuring a more sustainable use of water resources
The Forum sessions: deepen and resolve
The VI Water Forum is structured into three sessions, each of which addresses fundamental aspects of water management in agriculture.
The first is dedicated to outlining the current picture, with an in-depth analysis of the data available on climate changes and their impact on the agricultural sector. Studies will be presented regarding the water needs of different crops and the management of the water balance, with particular attention to regional disparities.
This contextualization phase is fundamental to understand how agriculture, although it represents one of the main causes of water exploitation, is also threatened by climate change and the depletion of reserves.
Due to the rise in global temperatures, in fact, thegrowing seasons” are getting shorter, rivers and lakes are drying up and the availability of water reserves for irrigation is decreasing dramatically.
In this context, save e optimize the use of water is no longer just a virtuous choice, but a necessity.
Another point of discussion concerns the influence of agricultural practices (in particular the use of chemical fertilizers) andintensive farming on water quality.
In rural areas, thenitrate pollution It is becoming an increasingly worrying problem. In fact, it causes phenomena of eutrophication and makes the water undrinkable. Let’s try to understand these two points better.
A dangerous ecological phenomenon
Eutrophication is an ecological phenomenon that occurs when a body of water, such as a lake, river or lagoon, receives an excessive supply of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. These often come from agricultural activities, such as the intensive use of chemical fertilizers, or from industrial and domestic waste.
The first noticeable effect of eutrophication is a rapid proliferation of algae, which can cover the surface of the water, so much so that it reduces the amount of sunlight that penetrates deeper areas. As a result, underwater plants, which require light for photosynthesis, are severely affected.
When algae die and begin to decompose, the bacteria responsible for their degradation consume large quantities of oxygen present in the water, causing a drastic reduction in the level of dissolved oxygen. This phenomenon, known as anoxia, makes the environment inhospitable for many marine life forms, such as fish and invertebrates, which struggle to survive in such compromised conditions.
In the long term, theeutrophication leads to the loss of biodiversity, with a significant decline of the most sensitive species. Furthermore, the quality of this precious resource deteriorates, making it not only unfit for human consumption but also potentially toxic, as some algae release dangerous substances that can have negative effects on human and animal health.
The combination of intensive farming and water crisis
Intensive farming also negatively impacts water quality for a series of reasons mainly linked to the management of waste produced by animals and the use of chemical substances.
First, they generate large quantities of sewage, which contains high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, resulting from animal waste. This waste is often stored in tanks or lagoons and, if not managed correctly, can infiltrate the soil or end up in waterways through surface run-off (erosion) caused by rainfall.
Once in rivers, lakes or aquifers, these nutrients promote the process of eutrophication which, as explained above, seriously compromises water quality.
Furthermore, in intensive farming, chemical fertilizers are often used to grow fodder for animals. These substances, rich in nitrogenous and phosphate compounds, also end up penetrating surface and groundwater. Which further contributes to pollution.
Excessive use of antibiotics
Another problem concerns the use of antibiotics and hormones on farms. These drugs are given to animals to prevent diseases and accelerate their growth. However, some of these chemicals are not metabolized and end up in the feces.
When contaminated sewage reaches water supplies, it can spread into the environment, causing the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and contaminating water intended for both agricultural and human uses.
Finally, the concentration of large numbers of animals in small spaces generates an enormous quantity of ammonia, a nitrogenous compound that can infiltrate basins and contribute to the acidification of soil and water, further worsening the problem.
In addition to the impacts related to pollution, intensive farming requires enormous quantities of water not only to hydrate the animals, but also to maintain the hygiene of the facilities and ensure adequate sanitary conditions. This high demand takes away water resources that could be used for other purposes, such as human consumption, agricultural irrigation or the maintenance of natural ecosystems.
The second session of the Forum
The second session focuses on solutions. Good practices already in place and innovative technologies to improve water efficiency will be illustrated. Precision agriculture, which uses sensors and digital technologies to monitor soil conditions and optimize irrigation, represents one of the most promising innovations in this field, for example.
Another crucial solution is the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation. In many countries, such as Israel and Spain, the recycling of this resource is now a consolidated practice, which allows the pressure on natural water resources to be significantly reduced.
In Italy, however, the reuse of waste water is still present limited by unfavorable regulations and by a lack of investment in adequate infrastructure.
Managing the water crisis
Finally, a third session sees the participation of institutional representatives, political decision makers and trade associations in a round table to discuss the policies to be adopted to encourage greater sustainability of the agricultural sector. At this stage, the importance of adopting a preventive rather than emergency approach to water management will be highlighted.
The water crisis cannot in fact be addressed with temporary or fragmentary solutions: long-term planning that integrates agricultural policies and technological innovation is necessary.
Not just bad news
Thanks to technological innovations and a greater awareness of the need to protect natural resources, many Italian farms are adopting more sustainable practices.
Drip irrigation systems, crops that require less water and the use of drought-resistant varieties are some of the solutions already in place. Furthermore, theincrease in scientific research in the agricultural field it offers hope for the future.
The challenges are many, but not all is lost.