Global water crisis likely by 2050 — FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organisation yesterday raised the alarm that two-thirds of the world’s population could face water shortages by 2050.

FAO representative, at a press briefing in Abuja to mark this year’s World Water Day by the United Nations, Fred Kafeero, said over 700 million people faced high and critical water stress, noting that over 90 per cent of natural disasters are water-related. 

He said the situation was worsening, global water availability and quality deteriorating, climate change intensifying and competition between sectors and countries increasing.

The Nigerian Ministry of Water Resources, represented by a director, Agness Aneke, said, “Drop by drop, this precious lifeblood is being poisoned by pollution with water demand expected to exceed supply by 40% by decade’s end.”

Jane Bevan, Chief WASH Nigeria, UNICEF, said an estimated 78m children in Nigeria were suffering from poor water access at the moment. 

The UN World Water Development Report 2023 said two billion people across the globe, representing 26 percent of the world’s population, lacked access to safe drinking water.

It also said 46 percent lacked access to basic sanitation.

By Joshua Odeyemi & Seun Adeuyi