Water and Food Security in Europe: Current Situation and Future Perspectives Simone Orlandini Department of Plant, Soil and Environmental Sciences (DIPSA) University of Florence (Italy) simone.orlandini@unifi.it
Food
Crops Regions (Wriest et al., 2009)
Wheat Barley Grain maize Rye an muslin Rice Tomatoes Carrots Onions Apples Peaches Oranges Harvested production (1000t) Harvested production of the most important crops in EU 27 140000 120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 Crops (Source ISPRA, 2009)
Main cereals production in Europe Cereals production in Europe is more or less stable, but there are several question marks for the future: shrinking of agricultural land (soil sealing, soil degradation processes) climate change competition with bioenergy crops the energy incognita (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) (Source ISPRA, 2009)
the EU has established a 20 percent renewable energy target in its own energy mix by 2020, and a 10 percent target for renewable resources in its transport fuel Biofuels Biofuel production competes for land with food production, with a potential negative impact on food availability. Better integration of food and energy production can reduce the competition for available land, as can the development of second-generation biofuels produced from grasses and other biomass. The EU aims to ensure that the expanded use of biofuels is limited to sustainable biofuels, which generate a clear and net GHG saving and have no negative net impact on biodiversity and land use. Source: EUFOCUS, March 2010
Climate change adaptation Many potential adaptation measures are drawn from existing good practices that promote sustainable development, and from the expertise and advice the EU gives to its own farmers: shifting crop rotation to optimize the use of available water; adjusting sowing dates according to temperature and rainfall patterns; planting crop varieties better suited to new weather conditions; creating wind-breaks and rational land setting systems on arable land to reduce water and soil run-off.
Crop yield and climate change Simulated crop yield changes by 2080s relative to the period 1961-1990 according to a high emission scenario (IPCC A2) and two different climate models: (left) HadCM3/HIRHAM, (right) ECHAM4/RCA3, Source: EC JRC/IES
Food security in Europe adequacy of food supply and availability; stability of supply, without fluctuations or shortages from season to season or from year to year; accessibility to food or affordability; quality and safety of food. Common agricultural policy (CAP) The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a system of European Union agricultural subsidies and programs. It represented 47% of the EU's budget, 50 billion in 2006. Ensures adequate European food production goes hand in hand with economically viable rural communities and action on environmental challenges such as climate change, water management, bioenergy and biodiversity. Source: EU website
Quality and origin Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) Beef cattle identification systems and labeling rules, designed to allow full traceability of meat from retail outlet back to the farm of origin; Financial incentives available under rural development policy for farmers to improve product quality; Specific encouragement for conversion to organic farming.
Short chain and farmer markets
A European Food Safety Authority provides scientific advice and scientific and technical support in all areas impacting on food safety. It constitutes an independent source of information on all matters in this field and ensures that the general public is kept informed. Participation in EFSA is open to EU Member States and to other countries applying EU food safety law. EFSA is also responsible for: coordinating risk assessments and identifying emerging risks; providing scientific and technical advice to the Commission, including in connection with crisis management; collecting and publishing scientific and technical data in areas relating to food safety; establishing European networks of organizations operating in the field of food safety.
Risk of aflatoxin contamination in maize probability of spread of the potato cyst nematodes Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis Source: EFSA Report, 2011
The Euro-CASE (European Council of Academies of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering) 2011 Annual Conference on Water and Food Security in Europe (Madrid - Spain) Main conclusions: To meet the challenge of increased food demand, the sustainable intensification of production in Europe is essential. Farmers must be permitted to increase agricultural productivity with the best available modern technology, while ensuring that intensification is sustainable. While modern food processing has improved the quality and safety of our food, respect for food and its producers needs to be promoted as society becomes more urbanized in Europe. Food production is a major consumer of diverted water in Europe and improved water management is essential to meet the challenge of dealing with a limited resource. Water scarcity is only one aspect of the water-food nexus but if intensification is to be sustainable, water quality and pollution control from agriculture must be faced firmly with appropriate technology and regulations.
Conclusions 2 Energy is intimately linked to the water-food issues, including the dilemma of crops for food or energy, which in the latter case should be largely limited to the use of waste products, and the large energy needs of irrigated agriculture. The uncertainties brought about by climate variability and climate change, bring another dimension to the water-food problem that would be best tackled by appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures for the European food systems. The adaptation measures to best address the risks of climate change, should focus not only economic and social issues, but should include measures to manage water and land in Europe aimed at maintaining healthy ecosystems as well. Industry and governments should team to develop and implement advanced water management practices and sound strategies for the rural sector in Europe to ensure sustainability in the long term.
European Food Project
EU Controls ensure our food is safe A European Commission report shows that thanks to the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) many food safety risks have been averted or mitigated and safety controls ensure our food is safe. RASFF plays a key role in ensuring safety from "farm to fork", by triggering a rapid reaction when a food safety risk is detected. All members of the RASFF system are swiftly informed of serious risks found in food or feed so that together they can react to food safety threats in a coordinated way to protect the health of EU citizens.
Water
Precipitation in Europe
Precipitation anomalies in Europe (last 10 years 2002-2011) Source: NOAA
Winter precipitation anomalies in Europe (last 5 years 2007-2011) Source: GPCC, Visualizer +400% +150% +67% +25% Mean value -20% -40% -60% -80%
Temporal trend of winter snow cover in Europe Source: Henderson and Leahers, 2010
Main drought events in Europe Source: European Union, 2010
Flood risk Source: European Environmental Agency
Freshwater resources Freshwater resources per capita - long-term average (1 000 m³per inhabitant) freshwater annual resources per capita Finland Sweden: 20000 m³ France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic: below 3 000 m³ Cyprus 410 m³ - Source: Eurostat
Availability of Freshwater
WATER EXPLOITATION INDEX Cyprus Belgium Spain Italy Malta Turkey Germany Poland France Portugal Estonia Greece England/Wales Czech Republic Netherlands Lithuania FYR, of Macedonia Bulgaria Hungary Switzerland Austria Denmark Luxembourg Slovenia Romania Finland Ireland Sweden Slovakia Latvia Iceland Norway 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% SOURCE: European Environmental Agency EUROSTAT data
Mm3/year 200000 180000 160000 140000 120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 Water abstractions per sector 100% 44% 24% 21% 11% Energy Irrigation Public Water Industry Europe 120% 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% Industry Public Water Supply Irrigation Energy Source: European Environmental Agency ESTAT data for the period 1997-2005 0% Eastern Western Southern
Proportion of water withdrawal for agriculture
Irrigated areas and crops 20% agricultural area produces 40% food
Irrigated area in Europe Source: FAO, 2006
Irrigation method - example
Nitrates pollution The Nitrates Directive (1991) aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. All Member States have drawn up one or more action programmes: and all of them include the limit of 170 kg nitrogen per hectare per year It is proving effective: between 2004 and 2007, nitrate concentrations in surface water remained stable or fell at 70% of monitored sites. Quality at 66% of groundwater monitoring points is stable or improving.
European Water Project
Water EU project EU WATCH (FP6, www.eu-watch.org): integrated project on Water and Global Change. This represents an important starting point for assessing the impacts of agriculture WF on local and regional water resources ACQWA (FP7, www.acqwa.ch): aims to assess the impacts of a changing climate. EU.WATER (SEE, www.eu-water.eu): aim to give answers to the problem of water consumption and water contamination caused by intensive agriculture. CLIMSAVE (FP7, www.climsave.eu): is developing a user-friendly, interactive web-based tool that will allow stakeholders to assess climate change impacts and vulnerabilities for a range of sectors, including water resources. WatNitMed (FP6, http://www.iamz.ciheam.org): the results on the improvement of WUE and NUE of Mediterranean strategic crops will be integrated and considered for the WF computations WP5 Trade and Climate Change (www.nccr-trade.org/wps/wp5): adopts interdisciplinary approaches and solutions needed for addressing the challenges that climate change poses to international trade regulation Forthcoming pilot actions of Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate change (JPI FACCE) (www.faccejpi.com). COST Action EURO-AGRIWAT
CASE STUDY: TUSCANY-ITALY
Case study in Tuscany Central Italy
1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 Rainfall (mm) Precipitations In Tuscany the precipitations are about 22 billion of m 3. Yearly values range from 2000 mm in Alpi Apuane (north west), to 500 mm in Maremma (south). 250 200 150 100 50 0-50 -100-150 -200-250 year
Water needs Regional water need is 760 milion of m 3 (less then 5% of total precipitation) The total annual need is divided as follows: 0.97% 1.30% 19.80% 34.00% civil industry tourism zootechny agriculture 43.80% The irrigated surface is 47.286 ha The agriculture need of water is 150 million of m 3 Source: CISPEL 2008
Farm ponds in Tuscany The Common Agricultural Policy supports investments to conserve water, improve irrigation infrastructures and enable farmers to improve irrigation techniques. It also helps to protect water quality. The number of farm ponds is 2462. The stored water is about 59 million of m 3. This can be enough for the aid irrigation of all vineyards in Tuscany Source: ARSIA 2006
Water energy nexus Type irrigation system Used energy (KWh/ha) Used energy (KWh/m 3 ) Standing system 659 0.45 Big roll 968 0.73 Roll with bar 677 0.71 Pivot 530 0.64 Source: www.regione.piemonte.it
Water bioenergy balance Tuscany demand of biofuels from renewable sources: 108 Ktep Bioethanol from irrigated maize: Water need: 1500 m 3 /ha Used irrigation energy: 0.64 KWh/m 3 Total irrigation energy: 10.6 Ktep Produced energy: best year 52.2, worst years 35.5 Net energy: best year 41.6, worst years 24.9 Pure vegetable oil from non irrigated sunflower: Produced energy: best year 29.1, worst years 8.0
Water footprint The water footprint (WF) is defined as the volume of freshwater used to produce a product measured over the full supply chain (indicator of freshwater use and pollution) Globalization of agriculture implies growing volumes of international trade. Imports and exports of water intensive products involve a virtual water transfer (resulting in a virtual water trade (VWT)) WF and VWT, together with socio-environmental indicators (i.e. evaluation of available freshwater, food risk studies) are also important for the evaluation of sustainability of water resource management GREEN RAINFALL BLUE IRRIGATION WATER FOOTPRINT GRAY POLLUTION
2008 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 1996 1994 1992 1990 1988 1986 1984 1982 1980 1978 1976 1974 1972 1970 1968 1966 1964 WF (L/MJ) WF trends for bioethanol production 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Time
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