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Meat-based diets devour our water supplies

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is investigating global options for feeding growing populations. Their report highlights the following:

1. ground water levels are plummeting and rivers are overstressed

2. currently up to 90% of all managed water is used to grow food

3. Meat-based Western diets put great pressure on the environment; meat eaters consume the equivalent of about 5,000 litres of water a day compared with 1,000-2,000 litres for people on vegetarian diets in developing countries.
It takes 1,790 litres of water to grow 1kg of wheat, 2,380 litres for 1kg rice, 1,390 litres for 1kg corn, compared with 9,680 litres for 1kg of beef and 3,680 litres for 1kg if pork.

4. It will be almost impossible to feed future generations the typical meat-based diet without destroying the environment.

5. The best options for reducing water consumption and improving yields are a combination of hi-tech and traditional water conservation methods; improved crop varieties and drought resistant seeds; better tillage methods; use of urban waste
water for irrigation.

6. Countries with little water may need to save their supplies for domestic or high-value uses by trading in "virtual water"
i.e importing food from countries with ample water.

Governments may have to persuade populations to eat less meat due to greater demands on water supplies.

Read more about Econutrition issues

Last Updated: September 2004