Virtual Water Flows in Internal and External Agricultural Product Trade in Central Asia

Abstract

AbstractCentral Asia exports large amounts of virtual water through agricultural trade, a key factor for overexploitation of water resources in the region. Most studies analyze Central Asia’s virtual water outflows to the outside world, while ignore the agricultural trade within the region and the varying impacts of virtual water flows on the individual countries. In this study, the changes in virtual water flows embedded in trade with outside regions (external) and Central Asia countries (internal) were analyzed for the period 2000–2018 for wheat, cotton, and livestock. The results show that while Central Asia exported, respectively, 194.3 and 101.8 km3 of virtual water to the outside world through cotton and wheat trade, it imported 53.7 km3 of virtual water via livestock trade. Also, while cotton‐based virtual water outflows decreased, wheat‐based virtual water outflows increased. Total virtual water flows in internal trade reached 71.2 km3, with flow originating mainly from Kazakhstan and heading to other four countries through wheat trade.Kazakhstan was the largest net exporter of virtual water through wheat trade, Uzbekistan was the second‐largest net exporter through cotton trade. Green water (precipitation water used by crops) was dominant in virtual water flow related to wheat and blue water (surface water or groundwater used by crops) was dominant in virtual water flow related to cotton. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan were most directly influenced by the virtual water trade.