As World Water Day is recognized in Asia and around the globe today, CropLife Asia is marking the occasion by calling
for more intensive efforts and collaborative work to drive water conservation in regional agriculture.
"There is no natural resource as precious as water, and how we work together to ensure it's conservation will play a
large part in determining the future for all of us," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, Executive Director of CropLife Asia. "Food
production requires far too much of this precious resource. Thankfully, plant science innovations are reducing the
amount of water needed to drive agriculture. Access to these technologies and other tools that support sustainable food
production with less dependence on water are critical for Asia's farmers."
With the recent release of new water security data as part of UNICEF's Water Security for All initiative, the critical
importance of the availability of this resource is more evident than ever. Specifically, the analysis revealed that more
than 1.42 billion people worldwide live in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability - this includes 450
million children.
The results also included troubling findings for the Asia region. In particular, South Asia is home to more than 155
million children living in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability. This represents the largest number for
this category globally.
Water remains a critical component of food production. It's estimated that agriculture accounts for 70% of water use
globally. Additionally, it requires 3,000 liters of water to produce the daily food requirements for just one person.
The innovative technologies of plant science are helping address agriculture's dependence on water. Advancements in crop
protection and plant biotechnology are better enabling farmers around the world to engage in water use efficiency.
Specifically, by reducing weeds' use of moisture, herbicides are helping farmers produce higher yields with the same
amount of water. Meanwhile, new plant biotech traits are being added to crops such as corn, rice and cotton that help
crops use less water and even improve productivity during periods of drought.