栗楶楚扬-WaterandDevelopmentTheImportance.pptVIP

Water and Development: The Importance of Irrigation in Developing Countries Karina Schoengold and David Zilberman The importance of water 80% of the human body is made up of water. Water is crucial element of our food and materials 75% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. only 3%, is fresh. Only1% of the water is available for human consumption. Much of this water contain chemicals making it inappropriate for human consumption. We distinguish between water quality and quantity problems. On average we have sufficient water to meet human needs. The problem is water distribution. Many do not have access to water Region Percent of Total Population Absolute Number of People without Access to Water in without Access to Water 1994 (in millions) Africa 54 381 Latin America the Caribbean 20 97 Asia the Pacific 20 627 Western Asia 12 10 Total 26 1,115 Water policy concerns-quality Water quality concerns in the tropics are not limited to human health. Contamination of water by arsenic and mercury in mining activities are major concerns in the tropical forest. Such contamination is hazardous to the forest ecosystems and their bio-diversity. When the miners are small, informal organizations, the regulation of toxic material in mining is a difficult non source point pollution problem. Solutions are difficult to implement because of the population density, large scale and weak government. Establishing of mobile unit that can track violators and a legal system to prosecute is a major priority. . Social Concerns. Waterborne diseases. Bad project planning resulted in spread of malaria and other water born diseases as vector spread in canal and dams. Displacement of native populations. The development of water projects in the last century has led