National water saving through import of agriculture and livestock products: A case study from India

Abstract

Importing food products is associated with the simultaneous transfer of virtual water required for the production of these products. This reduces water resource depletion in the importing country and offers water and food security. The objective of this study is to quantify the water savings and water losses due to virtual water import by India from 1986 to 2013 based on 203 products. Long-term average virtual water import from partner countries is 20.2 Bm3/y. Crop products consume the largest portion of imported virtual water (17.7 Bm3/y) followed by industrial products (2.4 Bm3/y). Livestock products contribute a smaller amount to virtual water import (0.1 Bm3/y). If these products were produced in India instead of being imported, India would have used 31 Bm3/y of its water resources. Thus, the import of products by India leads to 10.8 Bm3/y of global water savings. Importing products from Africa leads to global water losses and most virtual water is saved due to import from South America. Based on the water saved/ lost, the trade partnership of India with partner countries could be classified as mutually beneficial, partially beneficial, unsustainable and pressured. India can amend its trade relations with the partners based on this classification. India’s trade with other countries should consider the water availability in the exporting countries and the comparison between the virtual water required to import the products and to self-produce. Only such a balanced approach can help to sustainably manage the global and national water resources. The present study, however, targets only on the virtual water imports of India and the strategies that the nation could adopt from its own perspective. In order to develop a policy framework, the virtual water export of India should also be considered.