Kuwaiti Higher Committee For Food And Water Security Is Preparing A Road Map

Kuwait's Cabinet established the "Supreme National Committee for Strengthening the Food and Water Security System", led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Oil, and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, in an effort to remain proactive in enhancing food and water security in the nation. The committee's mission is to put into action a "road map" that will be followed in order to prepare the nation for the development of its water-food security strategy.

The Cabinet's decision to create a higher committee with representatives from pertinent state ministries as well as an advisory council made up of experts from Kuwait and overseas was praised by the Kuwait Water Society. Speaking to a local Arabic newspaper, Dr. Saleh Al-Muzaini, the Chairman of the Society's Board of Directors, emphasized the crucial role played by Kuwait's concerned authorities in ensuring that its citizens have access to fresh water despite pressures and rising demand for water resources. Although the Ministry was able to steadily handle issues with the nation's water supplies, he said that this had an effect on the water reserves.

The country's need for fresh water is projected to increase by 20 to 30 percent from its current level by 2030, and the per capita share of water will increase, which would put an additional and limited strain on Kuwait's limited water resources. The same necessitates the construction of a new desalination plant with a 100 million gallon production capacity every five years, at an estimated cost of KWD 450 million, according to Al-Muzaini.

International reports place Kuwait third in terms of water consumption on a worldwide scale. Al-Muzaini emphasized that according to reports from the Ministry of Electricity and Water, annual water usage is consistently rising. The rapid growth in the population, the increase in agricultural and development projects, as well as the expansion of community services, are mostly to blame for this. He underlined the failure of government policies in waste management and predicted a boom in water use several years from now, but said that the government will make a significant effort to start this committee.

Al-Muzaini also said that while the nation lacks a strategic plan, it does have action plans in place that require a strategic component in order to produce long-term, sustainable results. He claimed that in order to advance plans for the development of water resources, a clear strategy and viewpoint are required. "Water security is a critical issue that cannot be ignored or put off, and the water strategy must include water activities that promote sustainable development, create awareness campaigns that are specifically targeted, and a clear vision and message that address the anticipated threats to water security.

We hope that this committee will have a comprehensive, integrated, and sustainable work program to achieve water and food security, as well as a real comprehensive start to move towards securing water in the country in the short and long term, provided that it adopts a clear policy and strategy that achieves water security, sustainable development for future generations, achieving comprehensive sustainable development.

The move to create the upper committee was applauded by numerous union leaders and influential members of the community. Abdullah Al-Dammak of the Farmers' Union noted that the committee is important and helpful in forming Kuwait's visions and expressed his organization's desire to work with the administrative body in order to expand the union's marketing outlets, particularly in new residential areas. Dhaher Al-Suwayan, the president of the Kuwaiti Federation of Fishermen, has requested more funding for fishing operations and is hoping for swift resolutions to the problems facing the industry. He stated that the federation filed recommendations for the sector's development and an increase in local fish and shrimp output to the Ministry of Finance and that they are now waiting for approval of the 2022–2023 budget.

However, Dr. Jaber Al-Madaj, a professor of water resources at Kuwait University's Department of Civil Engineering, made clear 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 like groundwater rich in minerals or non-conventional water like surface water" in an interview with an Arabic newspaper. He emphasised that in order to develop the strategy, it is necessary to understand the water resources that are available as well as to adhere to the principle of sustainability. He also noted that pumping groundwater rich in minerals at a high rate for agricultural uses may result in the degradation of soil and the spread of invasive species.

The quantity of groundwater in the underground reservoir affects the water's quality, and the state's reliance on desalination plants to supply drinking water for individual consumption could put it at risk for the worst-case scenario in the event that a regional catastrophe results in the pollution of the Gulf of Mexico. "Providing a daily rate of water consumption results in self-sufficiency for the individual until this water becomes unfit for individual consumption for a specific period of time, which may be long or short, and this is part of the demand management equation, but it is insufficient 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 continued by saying that the new upper committee should think about how to implement the idea of water security by taking into account social, environmental, economic, and other aspects of risk management. The concept should be connected to the idea of food security in terms of agricultural farming and food production, the professor added. In order to be ready for unforeseen regional disasters, water pollution, and extreme weather imbalances, he emphasized that priority should be given to guaranteeing the continuity of water supply and wastewater disposal.

In addition, Dr. Muhammad Al-Sayegh, an environmental expert, hailed the choice and called it "a dream and a realized for the professionals, for the state to rely on them to manage environmental affairs in general, and food and water in particular." He pointed out that the concept of water security needed to be clearly defined and that the committee should look to its neighbors and wealthy nations for inspiration. In order to improve water resources, rationalize consumption, adopt salt-tolerant crops, and use contemporary irrigation while lowering groundwater depletion, he also stated the necessity to adapt to the most recent technologies. In addition to building new feeding dams to catch torrential rain and water, this strategy should also benefit from improving water connection projects.

Janan Behzad, Director of Programs and Activities and a member of the Kuwait Society for Environmental Protection's Board of Directors, stressed that climate change is one of the primary factors contributing to severe food crises. When coupled with population growth and land use change, it is anticipated that climate variability will have a significant impact on global food security in the future.

He emphasized that strengthening many of the factors involved in this regard is necessary to increase the role of the Supreme Committee for Food and Water Security, most notably improving the environmental sustainability of food systems through the establishment of ecosystem management programs in public-private partnerships; encouraging and promoting the culture of local purchasing; increasing investment in developed agricultural production; and improving the access of local residents to local food sources.

Behzad pointed out that the lack of water and the small amount of arable land make the problem economically and environmentally sustainable, and that agriculture is not conducive to achieving self-sufficiency because there are only 1,539 square kilometers of arable land, of which only 121 square kilometers are used for growing crops. He demanded that urban towns be planned in a way that takes into account future environmental factors and that areas that lack public parks and school gardens be made available for the sustainable cultivation of consumer goods and vegetation.

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