After Food Protests, Water Riots Are Next -- The Telegraph
Governments in Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Yemen have faced protests in recent weeks, part fuelled by rising food costs. Unfortunately, this is a trend that looks set to continue and probably escalate over the next two decades.
The rise of the middle classes in emerging markets, coupled with a soaring world population, underpin an increase in the price of basics such as wheat, corn and sugar.
But the situation is going to be made much worse by the scarcity of water – the most important commodity there is.
"Water remains a more problematic commodity than food and fuel: though cheap in its natural state, it is expensive to process and expensive to transport, especially in the quantities necessary for agriculture," according to a report from a Washington-based think tank released last month.
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My Comment: I am so lucky living in Canada .... fresh water is so abundant and never an issue. When I travel abroad .... wow .... in some countries (i.e. China, India, Middle East) .... this is a very big issue. And while I can do without food for a week or more .... water .... that is a completely different story.