'Water resources are depleting, we don't have enough for everyone'

3.6 billion people are living in water scarce conditions in the world, says UNESCO adviser

As many as 3.6 billion people are living in water scarce conditions in the world which is almost half of today's global population.

This was stated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Thailand's Science Adviser Dr Benno Boer at the inaugural ceremony of a four-day international conference, 'Sustainable Development: Halophytes for Green Revolution', organised by Karachi University's (KU) Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization (ISHU).

United Nations (UN) has focused on this dangerous situation and suggested to utilise the currently unused salty water and barren saline lands, said Dr Boer, adding that there was a dire need to develop nature-based solutions for energy and food security.

"More than 97% of the earth's water is saline. The possibility of growing halophyte would be a great opportunity for the world," Dr Boer suggested, adding that so far halophyte biologists have been visionary and ahead of their time as they realised that scarcity of fresh water is real and they are working on solutions to ensure food security for the future.

He added that scientists must be good communicators so they may convince politicians and investors to support halophyte developments.



"I am very happy to be in Karachi and have experienced great hospitality and the fantastic Pakistani culture and food," Dr Boer said.

He lauded KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammd Ajmal Khan for his key role in developing a meaningful partnership between Unesco and KU.

He thanked ISHU Director Dr Bilquees Gul and termed her a true role model for women scientists of the country.

"Water resources are depleting and we don't have enough water for everyone. No institute in the world, except ISHU, has done such focused work in this subject," Dr Khan claimed.

He thanked Dr Attaur Rehman for providing support as the then Higher Education Commission chairperson to establish ISHU.

He advised young scientists to work hard and trust themselves. Marketing of scientific projects is very important to attract funding and investors, he said.



Former chairperson of the Pakistan Science Foundation, Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf believed research on saline agriculture and halophyte utilisation is the need of the time in the face of global climate change and salinisation of lands.

"High quality research and patents are developed at ISHU, making a pivotal contribution to global research literature," he said.

Dr Gul said that about 11% of the world's irrigated areas are affected by salinisation. The continuous expansion of salt-affected land is highest in some of the most populated and economically challenged countries, such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, posing a serious threat to sustainable agricultural production, she said.

"Many desert halophytes perform important ecosystem services. These species, when planted in brackish and saline soils near the edges, will naturally help to protect the site infrastructure from flooding, sand storms, and erosion. Secondly, halophytes may provide opportunities for the cultivation of fodder and energy crops using saltwater for irrigation," she said, adding that this was an exciting prospect given the current and projected world shortages in freshwater, but remains a relatively unexplored research area.

Halophytes provide options for livestock feeding in both semi-arid and saline landscapes. These plants vary in both biomass production and nutritive value. They are characterised by slow growth, low digestibility and high content of anti-nutritional factors.



"Some of the poorest places on the planet are 'rich' in deserts and are located near plentiful salt water resources, making them suitable candidates for halophyte farming," she said.

The economic benefits for poor countries are stable growth, lower unemployment, better balance-of-trade and less reliance on foreign food aid programmes, she shared.

She added that Thar is the largest desert in Pakistan and the ninth largest in the world. With a tropical desert climate, rains play a vital role in the Thar region as underground water is rarely found.

Utilising brackish water in Thar will reduce pressure on fertile lands and fresh water resources, she said.

"We have made significant progress in research on this subject and believe that if properly implemented, it could contribute significantly in rehabilitating saline land and providing fodder to arid areas like Thar. The communities along Tharparkar are extremely poor and the introduction of this grass could greatly uplift their economic conditions," Dr Gul maintained.