QUENCHING THE THIRST

Photography: Beeblebrox (CC License)

New initiatives on sustainable water management appear worldwide

Water is a priceless resource for us all. However, its scarcity and mismanagement often exacerbate hunger and poverty. Hence, more sustainable use of our water resources is needed to bring planet, people and profit back into balance. Recent initiatives in India, Nicaragua and within Africa are raising the hope that safe drinking water can be a resource that can be available to all.

Channeling water

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has recently launched 'India Water Body', an initiative based on Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan. Together with NGOs and local Indian communities, HUL has been working towards better water management for over ten years. With this initiative HUL hopes to further their efforts in providing a sustainable long-term access to water in India through a 'public-private partnership model'.

Meanwhile in Nicaragua, farmers have recently been able to improve their crop production (such as rice, maize and beans), because of new pilot projects coordinated by the Latin American Fund for Irrigated Rice (FLAR), which facilitate the use of stored rainwater for irrigation during the dry season.

There's more

Another new initiative, 'Safe Water for Africa', was recently announced at the World Economic Forum on Africa. The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation and three other organisations have agreed to allocate an initial 6 million US dollars – with an expected 20 million by 2012 – to provide safe drinking water to poor communities in Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia.

Safe water for all?

Improving access to safe water is extremely important if we are to decrease worldwide poverty and hunger. Hopefully more companies and organisations will follow the example.

Emma Herman

Fairfood International is a global movement of people committed to making the food industry sustainable.