Environmental Studies and Forestry

Competition for water induced by transnational land acquisitions for agriculture

D. D. Chiarelli, P. D'odorico, et al.

This study reveals how transnational large-scale land acquisitions can strain local water resources through increased irrigation and the cultivation of water-intensive crops. Conducted by renowned researchers including Davide Danilo Chiarelli and Paolo D'Odorico, it highlights the critical issue of water scarcity exacerbated by industrial agriculture.

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Abstract

Transnational large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) for agriculture often increase irrigation, potentially competing with local water needs. This study combines hydrological modeling, statistics, and georeferenced LSLAs to assess water scarcity. While blue water scarcity existed before acquisitions, LSLAs exacerbate it through water-intensive crops and irrigation expansion. Investors target areas with preferential water access, suggesting LSLAs often appropriate water resources to the detriment of local users.

Publisher

Nature Communications

Published On

Jan 26, 2022

Authors

Davide Danilo Chiarelli, Paolo D'Odorico, Marc F. Müller, Nathaniel D. Mueller, Kyle Frankel Davis, Jampel Dell'Angelo, Gopal Penny, Maria Cristina Rulli

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