A new report highlights the trend of investors and agribusiness entities in Latin America acquiring small land parcels with substantial water access, thereby gaining control over this crucial resource. This practice, known as "water grabbing," involves the cultivation of water-intensive crops and the expansion of irrigated farming, intensifying water scarcity issues in the region. The Belgium-based International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) underscores the negative impact on rural communities and smallholder farmers who depend on these water sources, especially amid the global freshwater crisis.
According to Viviana Catrileo Epul, director of Chile's National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women (ANAMURI), the proliferation of monocultures is depleting water resources, making traditional peasant farming increasingly challenging. The phenomenon is not limited to Chile, but is also evident in countries like Mexico and Peru, putting additional pressure on their water supplies. Sofía Monsalve Suárez of IPES-Food points out that the global shift towards more resource-intensive commodities and the growing consumer demand have led to a sixfold increase in freshwater use since 1900, with countries outside Latin America, such as the U.K., U.S., and Japan, relying heavily on imported water to satisfy domestic needs.
The report also notes that Latin America's abundant agricultural land and water resources make it a prime target for export-oriented agriculture, which has become a significant income source for the region. Governments have facilitated this through investments in irrigation, infrastructure, and incentives like tax breaks and trade deals. Water grabbing, which can involve acquiring land with water access or directly purchasing water rights, as seen in Chile, exacerbates water scarcity and land degradation by promoting the cultivation of high-value, water-intensive crops for export.
Source: news.mongabay.com