In an effort to stay proactive in enhancing food and water security in the country, Kuwait’s Cabinet established the “Supreme National Committee for Strengthening the Food and Water Security System”, spearheaded by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Oil and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs. The committee is tasked to implement a “road map” to follow through in order to gear up the country in developing its water-food security strategy.
The Kuwait Water Society applauded the Cabinet’s move to establish a higher committee with members from relevant state ministries in addition to an advisory body comprising several competencies in Kuwait and abroad.
Speaking to a local Arabic paper, the Chairman of the Society’s Board of Directors, Dr. Saleh Al-Muzaini, stressed the important role of concerned authorities in Kuwait to provide fresh water to its constituents, despite pressures and increasing demand on water resources. He said that this had an impact on the water reserves but the Ministry was able to steadily control problems in the country’s water supplies.
“The pressures on Kuwait’s water resources will increase by 2030, as the country’s need for fresh water is expected to rise between 20 to 30 percent of what it is now, and the per capita share of water will increase, and this is limited. The same requires the establishment of a new desalination plant with a production capacity of 100 million gallons every five years, at an estimated cost of KWD 450 million,” Al-Muzaini said.
According to international reports, Kuwait ranks third in the global average water consumption. Al-Muzaini stressed that based on reports by the Ministry of Electricity and Water there is a consistent rise in water consumption annually. This is largely attributed to population explosion, increase in developmental projects, agricultural projects, as well as, the expansion of community services. He said that the increase in water consumption is expected to surge several years from now, and in addition, noted the failure of government policies in waste management but that this committee shall be at the onset a great effort from the government.
Al-Muzaini also mentioned that despite the country’s lack of strategic plan, it has on hand action plans that need strategic dimension for long-term sustainable results. He said there is a need for a clear strategy and outlook to put forward developmental programs for water resources.
“Water security is an important and urgent issue that cannot be postponed or underestimated, and that the water strategy must consist of water activities of a sustainable development nature, innovative targeted awareness programs, and a clear vision with a meaningful message that addresses the expected challenges that threaten water security.
“We hope that this committee in itself will have a comprehensive, integrated and sustainable work program to achieve water and food security, and a real comprehensive start to move towards securing water in the short and long term on the part of officials and decision makers in the country, provided that it adopts a clear policy and strategy that achieves water security, sustainable development for future generations, achieving comprehensive sustainable development, and achieving the New Kuwait Vision 2035,” he concluded.
Various union leaders and community key players commended the decision to establish the higher committee. The Farmers’ Union, Abdullah Al-Dammak, remarked that the committee is vital and beneficial in shaping Kuwait’s visions, while expressing its willingness to cooperate with the administrative body in the hopes of increasing the union’s marketing outlets, especially in new residential areas. Meanwhile, the head of the Kuwaiti Federation of Fishermen, Dhaher Al-Suwayan, is expecting quick solutions to the fishing sector’s issues and asked for an increase in support for the fishing activities. He said the federation is awaiting the approval of the Ministry of Finance for the 2022-2023 budget, as they submitted proposals for the development of the sector and increase in the production of local fish and shrimp to the previous committee. He also mentioned that the union had raised the demand for mead fishing in several locations under the supervision of the Environment Public Authority and requested an alternative to Naqa’at Al-Shamlan, as well as keep Souq Sharq for local fishing activities.
On the other hand, Professor of Water Resources at the Department of Civil Engineering at Kuwait University, Dr. Jaber Al-Madaj, while speaking to an Arabic paper, clarified that “the concept of water security is broad in scope, and requires the development of an integrated strategy that covers aspects of this concept, and knowledge of the available water resources, whether they are conventional water such as groundwater rich in minerals or non-conventional water such as sea water after desalination”. He said that developing the strategy requires knowing the available quantities of water, as well as, achieving the principle of sustainability, stressing that pumping mineral-rich groundwater at an enormous rate for agricultural purposes may lead to the depletion of non-renewable fossil resources, soil degradation, and the expansion of desertification.
“The amount of groundwater in the underground reservoir is related to the quality of this water, and the state’s reliance on desalination plants to provide drinking water for individual consumption may expose the state to facing the worst scenario when a regional disaster occurs that leads to pollution of the Gulf waters. Until this water becomes unsuitable for individual consumption for a specific period of time that may be long or short, providing a daily rate of water consumption achieves self-sufficiency for the individual, and this is part of the demand management equation, but it is not sufficient to achieve the concept of water security that includes all aspects required for the integration of water resources available and sustainable,” Al-Madaj said.
He added that the new higher committee should consider what achieves the concept of water security by addressing social, environmental, economic, and other factors related to risk management. The professor also said that the concept should be linked to the concept of food security in terms of agricultural farming and food production. He stressed that priority in adopting innovative ways should be given to ensuring the continuity of water supply and waste water disposal, in order to be prepared in facing unexpected regional disasters, water pollution, and extreme weather imbalance.
On another note, environmental expert, Dr. Muhammad Al-Sayegh, praised the decision, as well, described the decision as “a dream and a realization for the specialists, for the state to rely on them to manage environmental affairs in general, and food and water in particular”. He noted that the idea of water security should be well-defined and that the committee should draw inspiration from neighbouring countries and developed countries. He also specified the need to adapt to the latest technologies to enhance water resources, rationalize consumption, and choose salt-tolerant crops, with modern irrigation, while reducing groundwater depletion. This approach should include the benefits of strengthening the water connection projects, in addition to establishing more feeding dams to seize torrential water and rain.
Meanwhile, the Director of Programs and Activities, Member of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Society for Environmental Protection, Janan Behzad, stressed that climate change is a major driver behind the main causes of severe food crises, and when combined with population growth and land use change, it is expected that climate variability in the future will have profound effects on global food security.
He emphasized that enhancing the role of the Supreme Committee for Food and Water Security requires strengthening many of the factors concerned in this regard, most notably enhancing the environmental sustainability of food systems through the establishment of ecosystem management programs in public-private partnerships; supporting and spreading the culture of local purchasing, increasing investment in developed agricultural production, and improving the access of local Kuwaiti products from farms to markets; providing sustainable fisheries based on effective management of fishing activities, which in turn understands the effects of climate change; providing programs and incentives to invest in the development and dissemination of innovative technologies and practices for more environmentally sustainable agricultural production; supporting green loans to create job opportunities, localize technology and protect the environment; considering regional climatic fluctuations and their effects on marine ecosystems; as well as, the distribution and productivity of fishery resources.
Behzad noted that water scarcity and limited arable land make the challenge sustainable and economically sustainable, and agriculture is not amenable to achieving self-sufficiency, as the area of agricultural land is 1,539 square kilometers, of which only 121 square kilometers are planted with agricultural crops. He called for putting up a plan for urban cities in a way that suits future environment variables and to provide spaces for sustainable cultivation of consumer products and vegetation in spaces devoid of public parks and school gardens.
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