World Water Day . It originated in the Conference of the United Nations for Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil from 3- 14 June of 1992 , after which the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 22 of December of 1992 the resolution by which March 22 of each year was declared World Water Day.
Summary
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- 1 Background
- 2 Themes of celebrations in previous years
- 3 Water and food security
- 4 Measurements
- 5 Sources
Background
The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolution A / RES / 47/ 1983 of 22 of February of 1993 (text of the resolution in English) by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be held as of 1993 , in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development contained in Chapter 18 (Freshwater Resources) of Agenda 21.
The States were invited to dedicate this day, within the national context, to the celebration of specific activities such as the promotion of public awareness through the publication and dissemination of documentaries and the organization of conferences, round tables, seminars and exhibitions related to the conservation and development of water resources and the implementation of the recommendations of Agenda 21.
Celebration themes in previous years
- World Water Day 2012: Water and food security
- World Water Day 2011: Water for cities: responding to the urban challenge
- World Water Day 2010: Clean water for a healthy world
- World Water Day 2009: Sharing water sharing opportunities
- World Water Day 2008: Sanitation
- World Water Day 2007: Tackling Water Scarcity
- World Water Day 2006: Water and culture
- World Water Day 2005: Water source of life
- World Water Day 2004: Water and disasters
- World Water Day 2003: Water for the Future
- World Water Day 2002: Water for Development
- World Water Day 2001: Water and Health
- World Water Day 2000: Water for the 21st Century in English
- World Water Day 1999: We all live downstream
- World Water Day 1998: Groundwater – the invisible resource
- World Water Day 1997: Water in the world: is it enough?
- World Water Day 1996: Water for thirsty cities
- World Water Day 1995: Women and water
- World Water Day 1994: Taking care of our water resources is everyone’s business.
Water and food security
The water is essential for food security. The livestock and crops need water to grow. The agriculture requires large amounts of water for irrigation , as well as water quality for different production processes. The agricultural sector is positioned as the largest consumer of water on the planet given its productive function, not only of food, but also of other non-edible crops such as cotton , rubber or industrial oils whose production does not stop growing. Irrigation today demands about 70% of the fresh water extracted for human use.
In 1948 , the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared the right of everyone to adequate food. However, access to adequate food in rural areas of many developing countries depends substantially on access to the natural resources, including water, necessary for its production. The 28 of July of 2010 , the General Assembly of United Nations declared safe access to the waterand sanitation as a human right. But the right to water within the context of the right to food is a complex issue: while drinking water and cooking water would be protected, the minimum levels of water necessary for food production in the zones would not be covered. arid.
Measurements
Coping with population growth and ensuring access to nutritious food for all requires a series of measures to which we can all contribute by:
- Produce more nutritious food with less water: Innovative technologies are required to ensure greener and more sustainable food production. These technologies are necessary to improve crop yields; to implement efficient irrigation strategies; for the reuse of wastewater and the use of water sources of marginal quality; to find smarter ways to use fertilizers and water; to improve crop protection; to reduce losses after harvest; and to develop a more sustainable livestock and marine production.
- Strengthen human capacities and institutional framework: Agricultural development in least developed countries relies mainly on the hands of small farmers, mostly women. In addition, new institutional arrangements are needed that centralize responsibility for water regulation and decentralize responsibility for its management, increasing ownership and user participation.
- Improve the value chain: efficient waterand food reuse strategies can be implemented in all phases of the process, from production, harvest handling, processing, retail and consumption, to distribution and commerce . This could help to guarantee the environmental requirements associated with water in those cases where the reuse of treated water is not culturally accepted for other uses.
