4s2a: Water demand and water availability for future food production in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is developing rapidly towards a middle-income country. The Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, approved in September 2018, is a long-term strategic plan, supporting developments towards the goal of a prosperous and sustainable Bangladesh. With the developments of a more prosperous and growing population, an important question is whether in future the demand for fresh water to grow food for the increasing population can be met. Not only is this question relevant for Bangladesh but many countries around the world are facing similar challenges. We considered several important factors: population growth, water demand, land use, climate change and diet change. For all factors, fresh water availability is crucial according to the experts and the stakeholders.
Therefore, an in-depth methodology is being developed on how to quantify the water demand for the crops needed for food security.