Summary of papers presented at the International Conference on Policies for Water and Food Security in Dry Areas - Cairo, Egypt, 24-26 June 2013 | Policy makers, researchers, development agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donors, and the private sector share ideas towards more effective policies to improve food security, job creation and water management in dry areas. The conference papers cover the effectiveness of current and alternative water and food policy options and identify strategies to enhance land and water productivity. The conference addresses four thematic areas: incentives for sustainable and efficient water allocation and management; interactions between water management, food security and employment; coping with water scarcity and water and food security nexus policy dialogue; policies for enhancing food security. Summaries of papers are provided.

This study investigates the impact of climate change and land use change on water resources and food security in Jordan. The country is dominated by arid climate with limited arable land and water resources, where the per capita share of water is less than 145 m3/year. The study focused on crop production and water resources under trends of anticipated climate change and population growth in the country. Remote sensing data were used to determine land use/cover changes and rates of urbanization, which took place at the cost of the cultivable land. Recession of irrigated areas led to lesser food production and food security. Outputs from crop production and water requirements models, in addition to regression analysis, were used to estimate the projected increase in agricultural water demand under the scenarios of increased air temperature and reduced rainfall by the years 2030 and 2050. Results indicated that problems of water scarcity and food insecurity would be exacerbated by climate change and increased population growth. To move from the tragedy of the commons towards transcendence, the study emphasized the need for adaptive measures to reduce the impacts of climate change on water resources and food security. The challenge, however, would remain the development and the efficient use of new water resources as a means for future sustainable development.

The academic institutions from Japan, the Research Institute for Nature and Humanities (RIHN) and the Yokohama National University (YNU) provided a four-year (2010-2013) research fund and engaged the College of Agriculture-UPLB, the College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila (UPM), and LLDA, to conduct the first ever comprehensive integrated and multi-disciplinary researches on ecology-related food and human health risks for the establishment of science-based decision making and policies to protect the environment for sustainable urbanization and land use development in and around the Laguna Lake Region. The pilot study is a GIS-based risk mapping and assessment of the Sta. Rosa-Silang sub-watershed to provide basis for trans-boundary risk management of sub-watershed resources. This hopes to reduce the threats and impacts of climate change related flooding on urban investment, food security, health security, and, on the overall quality of life and environment in Sta. Rosa City, located downstream of the Sta. Rosa-Silang sub-watershed. The study likewise provided the graphic illustration of trans-boundary roles and ecological interconnectivity, as well as positive complementation between sustainable farming systems in the headwaters and modern urbanization in the lower portions managed by two politically separate LGUs belonging to different towns and provinces. The GIS-based risk based technical evaluation maps clearly identify the phenomenon called landscape inversion which manifested itself as alluvial fan formation with special recognizable footprints for high flood risk areas. Ultimately, the overlaying of GIS maps contributed to the (a) scientific explanation about the anomalies of river system, (b) possible maximum coverage of old Laguna Lake and location of its original boundaries, (c) areas whose groundwater are most likely vulnerable to groundwater contamination; and (d) explanation to massive flood and spatially redefine the old Laguna Lake water lines as the aftermath of super typhoon Ondoy.

A procedure for separation and enrichment of Cd(II) and Ni(II) ions based upon carrier element-free coprecipitation by using an organic coprecipitant, 2-{4-[2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)ethyl]-3-(4-methylbenzyl)-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl}-N′-(3-fluoro-phenylmethyliden) acetohydrazide, prior to their flame atomic absorption spectrometric detections has been developed. The effects of varied experimental conditions on the performance of the developed method such as pH, sample volume, amount of coprecipitating agent, etc. were evaluated in detail on the recovery of analyte ions, and the influences of some anions and cations were investigated. The limits of detection for Cd(II) and Ni(II) ions based on three times the standard deviation of the blanks (N: 10) were obtained as 0.70 μg L⁻¹ and 1.21 μg L⁻¹, respectively. The accuracy of the method was tested by analyzing a certified reference material and by spike tests. The method was applied to determine the levels of cadmium and nickel in stream and sea water, rice, red lentil, and wheat samples.

Fred Kizito, Timothy O. Williams, Matthew P. McCartney, Teklu Erkossa, 'Green and blue water dimensions of foreign direct investment in biofuel and food production in West Africa: the case of Ghana and Mali', Routledge, 2013

Adequate access to good quality drinking water is an important prerequisite for the wellbeingand survival of people. Increasing competition over scarce freshwater resources withcontinuous quality deterioration is becoming a serious problem in many developing countrieslike Ethiopia, where the technical, socioeconomic and political conditions are impeding theproper utilization of the required resource. The concern of low quality water is either due todirect health impacts of poor quality drinking water or a reduction in the palatability of waterfor humans or animal consumption. The use of contaminated water in food production and/orprocessing can also be a considerable health concern for people. In rural households, water isused for multiple purposes including income generating activities such as livestock farming.Generally, the interactions among livestock, water and rural communities are very complex.Studies addressing the extent of water scarcity and quality problems in Ethiopia in suchcontexts are still limited. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of water utilization byfarmers and their livestock with respect to potential health and food safety impacts wascarried out in two districts of Ethiopia. The specific objectives of the present study were to:(1) assess the constraints and challenges in meeting the water requirements of livestock keptby typical rural communities, (2) assess the utilization of water sources by livestock andpeople, (3) assess the suitability of water sources for human and livestock consumption basedon microbiological and chemical quality indicators, (4) examine the microbiological qualityof water at household levels and the potential health impacts, and (5) investigate the potentialimpacts of poor water quality on the microbiological safety of milk and milk products.The study was carried out in Lume and Siraro districts, both located in the Rift Valley ofEthiopia. Methodologically, the study encompassed different components: (1) a questionnairesurvey complemented by focus group discussions with farmers, (2) assessments of themicrobiological and chemical quality of water destined for human and/or livestockconsumption, (3) microbiological assessments of milk and milk products produced andconsumed by the local communities, and (4) a compilation of secondary data focusing oncommon human health problems in the districts. The questionnaire survey with 320 randomlyselected farmers, the focus group discussions (n=16) and the compilation of secondary datawere carried out from July to October 2010. Water samples were collected from sources andhousehold containers from December 2010 to January 2011 and July to August 2011,corresponding to dry and wet seasons, respectively. During both sampling periods, a total of 25 water sources (sites where water was utilised or fetched for the purpose of human and/orlivestock consumption) were assessed for microbiological and chemical quality parameters. Atotal of 126 and 109 water samples from household containers were collected in the dry andwet season, respectively. In addition, a total of 53 samples of milk and milk products werecollected during the wet season and analyzed for E. coli contamination. Water samplescollected from ground and surface water sources were analysed for total dissolved solids, pH,manganese, chromium, fluoride, E. coli and total coliforms. The assessed parameters wereselected based on their importance to health or aesthetic aspects of water for human and/orlivestock uses. The water samples from household containers were only analyzed formicrobiological parameters. A summary of disease reports (July 2009-June 2010) wasobtained from the Health Offices of the respective districts to assess the occurrence andimpact of water-related human diseases.Descriptive statistics were calculated for the questionnaire survey data. Qualitative datacollected in farmers’ group discussions were analyzed by organising the raised issues intological categories. Mean ranks were calculated to compare the various constraints forlivestock production mentioned by farmers. Non-parametric statistical tests were used tocompare E. coli counts of water or milk between seasons and districts. The suitability of watersources for livestock and human consumption was evaluated by comparing the assessedquality parameters with recommended values.The study results showed that water sources intended for domestic and livestock uses wereeither ground water (hand-dug wells, boreholes) or surface water (river, dugout, surface runofffrom roadsides). Challenges in the provision of water for livestock and/or people wereassociated with physical inaccessibility and high seasonal variation in the availability of watersources. Poor quality water for livestock drinking was rather a concern for communities in theproximity of urban settlements or industrial establishments. The mismanagement of harvestedrainwater due to indiscriminate access of livestock to the sources was also found to pose highhealth risks on both livestock and people.Taking E. coli as an indicator of faecal pollution, the assessment of water samples showedthat most of the surface water sources were contaminated with faecal materials and did notmeet the WHO guidelines for drinking water quality. On the other hand, groundwater sourceswere microbiologically safe, but chemically contaminated with elements such as fluoride andmanganese. In total, 76% of the water sources (n=25 points) assessed in this study failed to comply with WHO guidelines for human drinking water in both, the dry and the wet seasonfor at least one parameter of health or aesthetic concern. Regarding pH, fluoride, manganeseand chromium, 32% and 20% of the water sources were found unfit for livestockconsumption in the dry and wet season, respectively. Another potential water-related healthrisk identified in this study was the considerable re-contamination of water after collectionfrom sources. This can severely compromise the expected health benefits from the installationof improved water sources. For the overall assessed water samples from household containers,it was found that E. coli contamination was higher during the rainy season compared to thedry season. The microbiological assessment of milk produced and consumed in the study areashowed a considerable contamination with E. coli. Although the correlation between the E.coli counts of milk and water was weak (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient r=0.1), therecorded poor quality water still might have contributed to the low microbiological qualityand safety of dairy products produced and consumed in the area.According to the secondary data collected from health offices, water-related human healthproblems potentially associated with the scarcity, poor quality and mismanagement of watersources were malaria, diarrhoea and gastro-intestinal parasites. Water-related livestock healthproblems were also reported by the farmers to be mainly associated with drinking water fromstagnant dugouts and the industrially polluted Mojo River.In conclusion, the rural communities in the Rift Valley area of Ethiopia lack reliable access tosafe water sources, with potential adverse health impacts. A possible priority of action thatemanates from this study is a minimization of industrially associated water qualitydeterioration through the enforcement of existing environmental protection rules andregulations. Concurrently, awareness creation of the owners of the industries on the properwaste disposal mechanisms and environmental accountability should be targeted as one of thekey aspects to alleviate the industry-related water pollution. On the other hand, in order tominimize the health risk associated with the mismanagement of rainwater harvesting systems,farmers should be technically supported by the local government in the proper design andmanagement of the systems. Health education remains a necessary and crucial intervention toreduce the re-contamination of water. In this respect particularly women should be addressed,since they are customarily responsible for the collection and handling of water for domesticconsumption.

The high intake of dietary sodium (Na⁺) has been associated with obesity and insulin resistance, sparking the hypothesis that the consumption of salty foods affects food intake (FI) and postprandial blood glucose (BG) response. Therefore, we conducted 2 randomized repeated-measures experiments to examine the acute effects of the Na⁺ content of solid food and beverage on FI, water intake (WI), subjective appetite, thirst, and BG. FI and WI were measured at ad libitum pizza test meals; appetite, thirst, and BG were measured at baseline and at regular intervals before and after meals. In the first experiment, 16 males (mean body mass index (BMI), 22.2 kg·m⁻²) consumed a low-Na⁺ (71 mg) bean preload (300 kcal) with or without 740 mg or 1480 mg of added Na⁺ 120 min prior to the pizza meal. Participants ate 116 kcal more at the test meal after consuming beans with 740 mg of added Na⁺ than after beans with 1480 mg of added Na⁺. In the second experiment, 19 males (mean BMI, 23.2 kg·m⁻²) consumed a low-Na⁺ (62 mg) tomato beverage (73 kcal) with or without 500, 1000, 1500, or 2000 mg of added Na⁺ 30 min prior to a pizza meal. The beverage with 2000 mg of added Na⁺ led to higher WI during the pizza meal than the beverage with 500 mg of added Na⁺. However, compared with the control conditions (no added Na⁺), added Na⁺ treatments had no effect on dependent measures in either experiment. In conclusion, the acute intake of Na⁺, in a solid or liquid form, did not affect short-term subjective ratings of appetite or thirst, ad libitum FI or WI, or BG in healthy young men.

Adequate access to good quality drinking water is an important prerequisite for the wellbeing and survival of people. Increasing competition over scarce freshwater resources with continuous quality deterioration is becoming a serious problem in many developing countries like Ethiopia, where the technical, socioeconomic and political conditions are impeding the proper utilization of the required resource. The concern of low quality water is either due to direct health impacts of poor quality drinking water or a reduction in the palatability of water for humans or animal consumption. The use of contaminated water in food production and/or processing can also be a considerable health concern for people. In rural households, water is used for multiple purposes including income generating activities such as livestock farming. Generally, the interactions among livestock, water and rural communities are very complex. Studies addressing the extent of water scarcity and quality problems in Ethiopia in such contexts are still limited. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of water utilization by farmers and their livestock with respect to potential health and food safety impacts was carried out in two districts of Ethiopia. The specific objectives of the present study were to: (1) assess the constraints and challenges in meeting the water requirements of livestock kept by typical rural communities, (2) assess the utilization of water sources by livestock and people, (3) assess the suitability of water sources for human and livestock consumption based on microbiological and chemical quality indicators, (4) examine the microbiological quality of water at household levels and the potential health impacts, and (5) investigate the potential impacts of poor water quality on the microbiological safety of milk and milk products. The study was carried out in Lume and Siraro districts, both located in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Methodologically, the study encompassed different components: (1) a questionnaire survey complemented by focus group discussions with farmers, (2) assessments of the microbiological and chemical quality of water destined for human and/or livestock consumption, (3) microbiological assessments of milk and milk products produced and consumed by the local communities, and (4) a compilation of secondary data focusing on common human health problems in the districts. The questionnaire survey with 320 randomly selected farmers, the focus group discussions (n=16) and the compilation of secondary data were carried out from July to October 2010. Water samples were collected from sources and household containers from December 2010 to January 2011 and July to August 2011, corresponding to dry and wet seasons, respectively. During both sampling periods, a total of 25 water sources (sites where water was utilised or fetched for the purpose of human and/or livestock consumption) were assessed for microbiological and chemical quality parameters. A total of 126 and 109 water samples from household containers were collected in the dry and wet season, respectively. In addition, a total of 53 samples of milk and milk products were collected during the wet season and analyzed for E. coli contamination. Water samples collected from ground and surface water sources were analysed for total dissolved solids, pH, manganese, chromium, fluoride, E. coli and total coliforms. The assessed parameters were selected based on their importance to health or aesthetic aspects of water for human and/or livestock uses. The water samples from household containers were only analyzed for microbiological parameters. A summary of disease reports (July 2009-June 2010) was obtained from the Health Offices of the respective districts to assess the occurrence and impact of water-related human diseases. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the questionnaire survey data. Qualitative data collected in farmers’ group discussions were analyzed by organising the raised issues into logical categories. Mean ranks were calculated to compare the various constraints for livestock production mentioned by farmers. Non-parametric statistical tests were used to compare E. coli counts of water or milk between seasons and districts. The suitability of water sources for livestock and human consumption was evaluated by comparing the assessed quality parameters with recommended values. The study results showed that water sources intended for domestic and livestock uses were either ground water (hand-dug wells, boreholes) or surface water (river, dugout, surface runoff from roadsides). Challenges in the provision of water for livestock and/or people were associated with physical inaccessibility and high seasonal variation in the availability of water sources. Poor quality water for livestock drinking was rather a concern for communities in the proximity of urban settlements or industrial establishments. The mismanagement of harvested rainwater due to indiscriminate access of livestock to the sources was also found to pose high health risks on both livestock and people. Taking E. coli as an indicator of faecal pollution, the assessment of water samples showed that most of the surface water sources were contaminated with faecal materials and did not meet the WHO guidelines for drinking water quality. On the other hand, groundwater sources were microbiologically safe, but chemically contaminated with elements such as fluoride and manganese. In total, 76% of the water sources (n=25 points) assessed in this study failed to comply with WHO guidelines for human drinking water in both, the dry and the wet season for at least one parameter of health or aesthetic concern. Regarding pH, fluoride, manganese and chromium, 32% and 20% of the water sources were found unfit for livestock consumption in the dry and wet season, respectively. Another potential water-related health risk identified in this study was the considerable re-contamination of water after collection from sources. This can severely compromise the expected health benefits from the installation of improved water sources. For the overall assessed water samples from household containers, it was found that E. coli contamination was higher during the rainy season compared to the dry season. The microbiological assessment of milk produced and consumed in the study area showed a considerable contamination with E. coli. Although the correlation between the E. coli counts of milk and water was weak (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient r=0.1), the recorded poor quality water still might have contributed to the low microbiological quality and safety of dairy products produced and consumed in the area. According to the secondary data collected from health offices, water-related human health problems potentially associated with the scarcity, poor quality and mismanagement of water sources were malaria, diarrhoea and gastro-intestinal parasites. Water-related livestock health problems were also reported by the farmers to be mainly associated with drinking water from stagnant dugouts and the industrially polluted Mojo River. In conclusion, the rural communities in the Rift Valley area of Ethiopia lack reliable access to safe water sources, with potential adverse health impacts. A possible priority of action that emanates from this study is a minimization of industrially associated water quality deterioration through the enforcement of existing environmental protection rules and regulations. Concurrently, awareness creation of the owners of the industries on the proper waste disposal mechanisms and environmental accountability should be targeted as one of the key aspects to alleviate the industry-related water pollution. On the other hand, in order to minimize the health risk associated with the mismanagement of rainwater harvesting systems, farmers should be technically supported by the local government in the proper design and management of the systems. Health education remains a necessary and crucial intervention to reduce the re-contamination of water. In this respect particularly women should be addressed, since they are customarily responsible for the collection and handling of water for domestic consumption.

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Ni) were measured in the foodstuffs, house dust, underground/drinking water, and soil from an electronic waste (e-waste) area in South China. Elevated concentrations of these potentially toxic metals were observed in the samples but not in drinking water. The health risks for metal exposure via food consumption, dust ingestion, and drinking water were evaluated for local residents. For the average residents in the e-waste area, the non-carcinogenic risks arise predominantly from rice (hazard index=3.3), vegetables (2.2), and house dust (1.9) for adults, while the risks for young children are dominated by house dust (15). Drinking water may provide a negligible contribution to risk. However, local residents who use groundwater as a water supply source are at high non-carcinogenic risk. The potential cancer risks from oral intake of Pb are 8×10−5 and 3×10−4 for average adults and children, and thus groundwater would have a great potential to induce cancer (5×10−4 and 1×10−3) in a highly exposed population. The results also reveal that the risk from oral exposure is much higher than the risk from inhalation and dermal contact with house dust.

Nicaragua es un país en vías de desarrollo, por lo tanto necesita tecnificar todos los sectores productivos, principalmente el agropecuario por ser el que mayores ingresos genera a la economía nacional; por ellos se origina la propuesta de un sistema dosificador automático de alimento y agua para el ganado vacuno. La presente propuesta está dirigida a los propietarios de la finca Molina en San Rafael del Sur, con el fin de facilitar la actividades de suministro de alimento y agua para el ganado vacuno de su propiedad y mejorar su producción e ingresos a través de pérdidas mínimas o nulas, tanto en alimento concentrado como en el agua utilizada para el ganado. En la finca hay un total de 30 vacas y el pozo de donde se adquiere el agua, para el ganado, y la bodega donde se almacena el alimento del ganado están a mas de 50 metros del establo por lo que se hace difícil y cansado suministrar alimento y agua a diario, pero el sistema dosificador automático simplifica completamente esta actividad. El sistema dosificador automático consta de cinco etapas que son: 1. Autómata Programable 2. Suministro de alimento 3. Traslado de alimento 4. Suministro de agua 5. Sistema de electroválvulas Cada etapa consta de diferentes elementos que interactúan entre sí, estos elementos son: tolva, motor, sensores, electroválvulas, tanque aéreo, pozo, banda trasportadora, tuberías y un controlador lógico programable (PLC). La primera etapa es el cerebro del sistema, ya que el PLC es el encargado de interpretar todas las señales de entrada para así determinar a través de sus salidas que activar o desactivar, además de controlar y temporizar el tiempo de trabajo de todo el sistema dosificador automático. La segunda y tercera etapa están íntimamente relacionadas, ya que en la etapa de suministro de alimento se provee de concentrado los comederos para cada miembro del ganado y en la segunda se traslada los comederos al lugar exacto donde la vaca llegara a ingerir su alimento. En la cuarta etapa se suministra agua a un tanque aéreo y a través de este se provee de agua al ganado y también al sistema de limpieza. Finalmente la quinta etapa corresponde a los elemento de salida del sistema que permiten suministrar o no alimento y agua, ya que son los elementos de apertura y cierre para la tolva y tuberías del sistema dosificador automático. Para una mejor comprensión de la propuesta, en esta se muestra y explica el diagrama general del sistema dosificador automático, el diagrama eléctrico, diagrama de cada etapa del sistema y el diagrama lógico utilizado en la programación del PLC. En cada diagrama se explica cada elemento que lo conforma y su función específica. Se fundamenta que el equipo está diseñado para encargarse de la completa alimentación del ganado vacuno, de la finca Molina, en San Rafael del Sur. El sistema dosificador tiene preestablecido la hora de alimentación del ganado, ajustando su dieta, para maximizar su desarrollo y buena salud. De la misma forma ajusta la cantidad suficiente de agua de forma constante, para que esta no les falte en ningún momento del día.