Is India’s Water Footprint Sustainable?

With 16 percent of the world’s population and just 4 percent of the world’s water resources at its disposal, managing its water resources effectively and having a sustainable water footprint, is quite challenging for India.

India has come a long way. There has been rapid growth of industries and a sea change in agricultural techniques but at the same time the per capita water footprint has also gone up drastically. No doubt population has grown manifold but the increase in water footprint has been proportionately much more.

This is to a large extent due to development of the economy and change in consumption patterns. Today, people are buying much more than they ever did and discarding at an unprecedented rate. We need to be more careful regarding water wastage and switch to water dispensers and coolers that ensure minimal spillage and wastage of water and are eco-friendly.

The problem is that, almost everything that you consume during a day requires water to make. This water that goes into making these commodities - called virtual water is huge compared to our direct water use (water used for drinking, cooking, bathing, household chores etc.).

The calculation of water footprint of a country is quite complicated. It is not just the sum total of direct and indirect water use as in the case of an individual or a commodity.

A nation’s water footprint includes - the direct water use, the total amount of water needed for production of goods, the water inherent in products imported and the water used to produce the goods exported.

The water flow due to trade of goods is a major component in the water footprint of a country but while making trade policies, this aspect is not taken into account. This could to a great extent be instrumental in reversing or at least managing the situation.

A country’s water footprint also depends on the consumption patterns and food habits of the population. High meat consumption would mean higher water footprint. The crops grown, the agricultural practices used, and the overall water use efficiency also effect the calculation of water footprint.

India exports some very water-intensive agricultural products like rice and cotton. In fact, India is one of the largest producers of cotton in the world. A kilogram of paddy requires about 15,000 litres of water and a kilogram of cotton requires 10,000 litres of water to grow. Farmers in India, rely heavily on groundwater for cultivation. In addition to that India is one of the top exporters of beef and the virtual water that goes into producing a kilogram of beef is many times higher than any plant-based product.

In the year 2019 alone, agricultural exports generated a revenue of 1.29 lakh crore for India — however, this weighs heavily on the limited water resources. Owing to its excessive agricultural exports, India losses water and this makes having a sustainable water footprint even more difficult. It is certainly a matter of concern in the present scenario when water is increasingly becoming a scarce resource, not only in India but also in most parts of the world.

According to a recent study, India exports 26,000 million litres of virtual water on an average every year.

India’s water footprint is 980 cubic meters per capita, and it is much below the global average of 1,243 cubic meters but its population of 1.2 billion people together contribute to a significant 12% of the world’s total water footprint. This number is certainly not sustainable and immediate steps need to be taken by the government, the corporates, and the citizens to optimally manage this rapidly dwindling precious resource.

The situation on the ground, is quite grim. The ground water level is alarmingly low in most parts of India. Pollution of natural water resources further adds to the water footprint of the country.

It is evident that this is something that is in our hands and with proper mindful steps by individuals and planning by the government we can make a difference. The first step is awareness. Knowing about the concept of water footprint can give us an insight into water use and thus help us understand how best we can minimize water footprint and avoid wastage of water. An in-depth assessment of water sources and water use is needed. Businesses too, have a role to play in spreading awareness. Individuals can contribute by making informed choices. To tackle the throwaway culture and bring about a change in buying patterns there must be a shift in mindset and behaviour. And this shift can happen only with awareness among people. Thus, knowledge is fundamental.

Although food production needs to increase with growing population, looking at water-efficient varieties of crops should be the way forward. Also, we must go for drinking water dispensers and purifiers that ensure minimal wastage and spillage of water. Exporting agricultural produce and meat that require less water to produce or are produced using water-efficient methods could bring down the net virtual water export for the country. We need to find alternatives to reduce ground water consumption and, also overall consumption and wastage of water. The situation may be bad but there is a glimmer of hope – a hope that we can still turn the tide.

Travel & Food Blogger| Worked as Editor at the Times of India| Corporate Communication| Brand Building| Content Creation|