Global climate change is accelerating water shortages – scarce water conditions affect many smallholder farming households who depend on rainfall to grow the crops they eat.
1.2 billion people live in areas of
physical water scarcity
- 2007 UN report, Coping with Water Scarcity
Critical Gaps To Fill
Vulnerable, poor farmers
Smallholder farmers make up the majority
of the world’s rural poor. They often occupy
marginal land and depend on rainfall for production.
Decreasing water supply
One in three people today face water shortages- 2007 UN report, Coping with Water Scarcity
GRAMEEN FOUNDATION's “Climate Change and Microfinance” 11/09
Africa will bear the brunt of the worst effects of climate change. The IPCC predicts that by 2020, climate change will expose 75 to 250 million Africans to water stress. Climate change will decrease the area suitable for agriculture and impact both the length and productivity of the growing seasons. It will also decrease the amount of fish in large lakes. All of these factors will reduce the food supply for a significant number of people in Africa. Asia is not slated to fare any better. Glacier melt in the Himalayas will initially cause upstream flooding, followed by reduced river flows as glaciers recede. Many countries in the area are expected to face an increased risk of hunger.