Assessing future water requirements for feeding the growing population of Central Asia can improve understanding of the projected water supply scenarios in the region. Future water requirements will be partially determined by the dietary habits of the populations, and are thus responsive to significant variation of income levels. Using Uzbekistan as an example, this study projects the water footprints of income driven changes on the population's diet in Central Asia. To reveal the influence of large income changes on dietary habits a Normalized Quadratic-Quadratic Expenditure System was calibrated and applied to data from 2009. The national water footprints of food consumption in Uzbekistan were projected until 2034 by applying the parameterized demand system to estimate the respective water footprint values. The results showed that for Uzbekistan the projected increase in the food consumption water footprint would be primarily linked to income growth rather than population growth. Due to the high water footprint of common food products, the composition of the population’s diet, and responsiveness to income, economic growth is expected to put greater pressure on water resources in Uzbekistan unless proper measures are undertaken.

This sourcebook entitled “Addressing water,food and poverty problems together: Methods,tools and lessons” is part of a wider process to capitalize on results from the Phase 1 of CPWF (2004-2008). Phase 1 of CPWF cast its net widely. Sixty-eight individual research projects were carried out in ten river basins around the world. The learning was immense. Unfortunately, many Phase 1 lessons and experiences are locked away in people’s minds or hidden in long technical and scientific reports that are difficult to access, particularly for non-researchers. The articles in the sourcebook provide development professionals and the wider research for development community with concise information on methodologies, approaches and lessons learned on agriculture water management. The articles are not intended to provide comprehensive information on the project nor are they intended to serve as project summaries. Typically, one or more aspects of the research, usually an approach, have been highlighted in the source book article. There are some limitations to the articles themselves as the reports and journal articles are often from research that took place three to four years ago and has not been updated. The sourcebook is divided into 12 chapters. Chapter 1 provides a short overview of the CPWF project, based on its strategic and medium term plans. Chapter 2 discusses water in the context of food production and security, information that is based on CPWF’s Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management for Agriculture (2007). Chapter 3 has three articles all based on Basin Focal Point (BFP) project outputs previously published in Water International (Issues 35 and 36). As such, Chapter 3 provides an overview of river basin issues and discusses in some detail the connection between poverty, water and food. Chapters 4 to 12 are drawn from CPWF project level engagement in the various river basins. These chapters focus on innovative frameworks, methods, approaches and tools. Each chapter consists of a cluster of articles, each standing on its own. Sourcebook articles were repackaged from previously written material. This means that secondary materials - primarily project reports and peer-reviewed journal articles – were used as the basis for creating these articles. Professional writers and artists were employed as part of this effort and an initial workshop was held with CPWF partners to get feedback on the initial drafts. After improvements, project leaders and external reviewers commented and approved the repackaged articles.

Cross-cultural differences exist in the typical temperature of water served with meals. North American people typically drink iced water/beverages while eating, whereas European or Asian people show a preference for room temperature water or hot water/tea, respectively. It has been reported that food perception and acceptance are influenced by oral temperature, as well as by serving temperature of food. Based on the fact that the iced or hot water served with meals can alter the oral temperature, the present study aimed to determine whether the temperature of served water can affect the sensory perception and acceptance of food subsequently consumed. Following a mouth rinse with water served at 4, 20, and 50°C for 5s, two different types of food, dark chocolate and cheddar cheese, were evaluated in terms of sensory intensity and overall liking. For the dark chocolate, the intensity ratings for sweetness, chocolate flavor, and creaminess were significantly lower when following water at 4°C than when following water at either 20 or 50°C. However, the modulatory effect of water temperature on sensory perception was not obtained with cheddar cheese. In addition, the temperature of served water altered the acceptance for the foods subsequently presented. Specifically, the overall liking for the dark chocolate was significantly lower when following water at 4°C than when following water at either 20 or 50°C. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates new empirical evidence that the consumption of iced water can decrease perceived intensities of sweetness, chocolate flavor, and creaminess for subsequently consumed chocolate. Our findings may provide one of plausible answers to the question of why North American people, who are more used to drinking iced water, show a strong preference for more highly sweetened foods.

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) in drinking water and food items has been associated with lung and bladder cancers in several countries including Pakistan. In present study water, food items were collected from Arsenic (As) endemic areas (southern part of Pakistan) during 2008–2012, to evaluate its impact on the health of local population. Exposure of As was checked by analyzing biological samples (blood and scalp hairs) of male lung and bladder cancer patients (smokers and non-smokers). For comparative purpose the healthy subjects of same age group and residential area as exposed referents (EXR) and from non-contaminated area (Hyderabad, Pakistan) as non-exposed referents (NER) were also selected. As concentration in drinking water, food and biological samples were analyzed using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The validation of technique was done by the analysis of certified reference material (CRM) of blood and hair samples. The As contents in drinking water and food were found 3–15-folds elevated than permissible limits, where as in biological samples; EXR have 2–3-folds higher than NER and cancer patients have 5–9-folds higher than NER. The significant difference was observed in smokers (P < 0.01). The outcomes of the study revealed that As levels were elevated in blood and scalp hair samples of both types of cancer subjects as compared to referents (P < 0.001). It was observed that the lung cancer patients (LCP) have 20–35% higher levels of As in both biological samples as compared to bladder cancer patients (BCP) due to smoking habit. This study has proved the correlation among As contaminated water, food and cigarette smoking between different types of cancer risks.

Lance Heath et al., 'Climate and Security in Asia and the Pacific (Food, Water and Energy)', Advances in Global Change Research, pp.129-198, Springer Netherlands, 2013 | The impacts of increasing natural climate disasters are threatening food security in the Asia-Pacific region. Rice is Asia�??s most important staple food. Climate variability and change directly impact rice production, through changes in rainfall, temperature and CO2 concentrations. The key for sustainable rice crop is water management. Adaptation can occur through shifts of cropping to higher latitudes and can profit from river systems (via irrigation) so far not considered. New opportunities arise to produce more than one crop per year in cooler areas. Asian wheat production in 2005 represents about 43 % of the global total. Changes in agronomic practices, such as earlier plant dates and cultivar substitution will be required. Fisheries play a crucial role in providing food security with the contribution of fish to dietary animal protein being very high in the region �?? up to 90 % in small island developing states (SIDS). With the warming of the Pacific and Indian Oceans and increased acidification, marine ecosystems are presently under stress. Despite these trends, maintaining or enhancing food production from the sea is critical. However, future sustainability must be maintained whilst also securing biodiversity conservation. Improved fisheries management to address the existing non-climate threats remains paramount in the Indian and Pacific Oceans with sustainable management regimes being established. Climate-related impacts are expected to increase in magnitude over the coming decades, thus preliminary adaptation to climate change is valuable

[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]QUASARE | Food-chain length (FCL) is commonly used in ecological investigations to gain insight into how ecosystems function. Several studies have investigated the mechanisms underlying FCL patterns, but none has specifically examined the effect of temperature variability. In river ecosystems, water temperature variability can modify community structure, individuals' activity, and individuals' physiological rates, among other things. As such, we expected that it would negatively influence FCL. To test this prediction, we took advantage of a dataset comprising five streams, which mainly differ according to their temperature variability. At each stream, we (i) studied the species composition of macroinvertebrates and fish, and using nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes, (ii) estimated realized FCL, and (iii) examined food web structure. For macroinvertebrates, but not for fish, species composition differed among sites displaying low and high temperature variability. FCL was negatively influenced by temperature variability. Confirming this trend, we found a highly significant linear relationship between FCL and temperature variability using data from the literature. As for food web structure, the trophic position of filter-feeders/shredders may explain the FCL differences among sites. Our study gives additional support to the "dynamic stability" hypothesis and advances a step further by suggesting that temperature variability alone may reduce FCL.

RESUMEN: Objetivo: Describir las percepciones y prácticas relacionadas con el agua y sus usos por parte de habitantes de barrios sin cobertura de servicios públicos del municipio de Turbo, Antioquia, Colombia. Métodos: Investigación cualitativa abordada desde la etnografía enfocada. La información fue recolectada mediante entrevistas a habitantes de barrios informales y observación de actividades relacionadas con el agua. La información se codificó, se conformaron categorías empíricas y posteriormente analíticas. Resultados: Las familias han establecido una dinámica cotidiana para enfrentar el vivir sin agua, invirtiendo tiempo, dinero y esfuerzo y según sus percepciones y posibilidades, definen prácticas y usos para el agua con que cuentan. Las fuentes de agua disponibles son: acueducto, comprada o recolectada en otros barrios, considerada inadecuada para la alimentación; lluvia, valorada por su sabor y aparente calidad; agua comercial envasada, considerada apta para beber y cocinar pero más costosa. En momentos críticos de escasez se recurre a fuentes menos adecuadas. En medio de esta carencia, las prácticas alimentarias se modifican reemplazando preparaciones que requieren más agua y haciendo ajustes que limi tan lo que consideran una alimentación adecuada. Conclusiones: La carencia de agua afecta la seguridad alimentaria, la calidad de vida y el bienestar de las familias. Las prácticas relacionadas con el agua responden a las condiciones de vida; esto implica reconocer la articulación entre lo biológico y lo social. Se reafirma la importancia de concretar el derecho al agua y considerar en las acciones de política la mirada de quienes padecen esta carencia. | ABSTRACT: Objective: Describing water-related perceptions and practice and how slum dwellers lacking public service coverage in the town of Turbo in the Antioquia Department, Colombia, approach this. Methods: This study involved qualitative research from an ethnographic approach. Data was collected by means of interviews with slum dwellers and observing waterrelated activities. The information was encoded; empirical categories were initially constructed, followed by analytical ones. Results: The families had established daily dynamics for facing life without water, investing time, money and effort and, according to their perceptions and possibilities, defining practice and uses for the water which they had access to. The available water sources consisted of a piped water supply which had to be paid for or was collected from other neighborhoods (considered unsuitable for drinking), rain water (appreciated for its taste and alleged quality) and bought bottled water (considered suitable for drinking and cooking, but more expensive than the piped water). Less suitable water sources were resorted to at critical moments during shortage. Regarding such deficiency, feeding practice became modified by replacing preparations requiring more water and making adjustments, thereby limiting what could be considered as suitable feeding. Conclusions: The lack of water affected the target families’ food security, quality of life and welfare. Water-related practice corresponded to living conditions, meaning that biological and social aspects must be reconciled and recognized. The importance of the right to water and taking those suffering such deficiency in to consideration when making public health policy was thus highlighted. | COL0084935 | COL0000407

Paper for presentation at the 27th SSEA/6th ASSS Conference held on October 20-25, 2013 in Nakuru, Kenya | To evaluate the performance of drought tolerant maize varieties under different water harvesting technologies (zai pits, tied ridges and conventional), the treatments were laid out in a split plot design with water harvesting methods as the main plots, and maize varieties as the sub-plots. Four maize varieties were evaluated under the three water harvesting technologies. Maize yields in zai pits and tied ridges treatments were significantly higher than for conventional treatment. Maize constitutes a major component of the diet in the region, with more than 70% of maize cultivated by farmers in small holder units of less than 20 hectares of land.