The role of virtual-water decoupling in achieving food-water security: lessons from Egypt 1962-2013

Since the 1970s, many economies have increasingly relied on ‘importing’ water embedded in food imports, a process referred to here as virtual-water ‘imports’. In water scarce countries virtual water ‘imports’ are used to protect the economy’s own water that would otherwise be consumed in food production to meet growing population and economy food needs, or to support population food needs beyond that sustainable by internal water resources. This process is referred to here as virtual-water decoupling. Water-scarce countries use virtual-water decoupling to secure the water embedded in food and feed consumption, referred to here as food-water. Food-water insecurity poses significant existential threats to societies and political economies due to the crucial role food plays in human life, be it through drought precipitating hunger, or through drought precipitating food price rises and social dislocation. Despite, or perhaps because of the significant threat posed by food-water insecurity to political-economic systems, it has rarely been foregrounded in public policy or as a research priority. While food production has always been the major water consumer by society in most countries and regions, the importance of water in food security, and food systems as key actors in water management, is invariably politically silent. This study examines the role of virtual-water decoupling to achieve a version of food-water security for water scarce societies. The paper analyses the Egyptian virtual-water decoupling policy during the period 1962-2013. Egypt food-water policy was chosen as a case study as it provides an important example of an economy that has relied on virtual-water decoupling to achieve its food-water security. The Egyptian case has shown that virtual-water decoupling can close the gap between the locally available physical water resources and the water actually needed for food and fibre by the economy. Importantly, the study shows that there are factors both within and outside the sphere of food and water policy that strongly influence the pattern and the outcome of virtual-water decoupling policy. These factors include the virtual water trade pattern, the national economic and social contexts, the international virtual water market and the international economic context. The analysis highlights the importance of economic development and diversification policies, diversification of diets and the international supply of virtual water ‘imports’ to encourage and facilitate greater virtual water decoupling. Understanding of such factors and links between water and food resources and wider economic and social policies will therefore be essential for the development of more effective future virtual-water decoupling policy in other water-scarce countries