A future in which water is scarce will be translated into a future in which food is scarce, intensifying global competition for grain and pushing up food prices, according to Lester Brown, president and founder of the Earth Policy Institute in Washington.
Although many countries are facing water shortages -- a topic being addressed at the ongoing World Water Forum in Kyoto -- not many people realize the connection between water and food, Brown said.
The environmental expert said we are creating a worldwide bubble economy for food. Production is being artificially inflated and governments are adding to the water deficit by over-pumping underground water for irrigation, he claimed.