Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene 2014 Sept - Oct Vol. 9 No.5 | Page 31

2014 STOCKHOLM STATEMENT

ON WATER

STOCKHOLM
INTERNATIONAL
WATER INSTITUTE

HEALTH

Global demand for freshwater is projected to grow by 55% between 2000 and 2050.
This poses a huge risk for increased competition over water from different users.
A Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on water is a unique opportunity to holistically address
our world’s water related challenges, avoiding potentially fragmented and unsustainable
solutions which can increase competition between different water users.

SUSTAINABLE
GROWTH

AGRICULTURE

THE EFFECTS

of climate change impact the agricultural
sector, specifically increased competition over
resources and extreme, increasingly unpredictable water patterns.
Global food and water security depends on the agricultural
sector achieving greater water use efficiency and sustainability.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW?
Rainfall and snowmelt patterns that affect the water cycle are
being distorted by our changing climate. Simultaneously,
demand for finite and irreplaceable water resources is booming.
As an outcome of the World Food Summit in 2009, it was
suggested that by 2050, 70% more food will be needed
to meet the growing global population’s dietary demands
as compared to 2005/7. In 2012, FAO and other agencies
revised the figure to 60%. Currently 800 million people are
undernourished. They also predominantly come from the
same underprivileged communities who lack safe sanitatio