Virtual Water: A Strategic Resource

The lack of water can be experienced by people, communities, nations and major regions worldwide. The Middle East/North Africa region, for example, is experiencing a severe water shortage as demand for the resource started to surpass supply in the early 1970s. Some nations in this region have experienced water deficits since the 1950s. The importance of this resource is reflected in the reality that a person must access one cubic meter of high-quality water for drinking each year and needs about 1000 times more than this amount to raise food for individual consumption.