The answer to address water scarcity and quality: technology

Connecting water & agriculture

Water is an essential part of life. Its fundamental role in every person’s life is such that the United Nations recognizes access to water as a human right (link resides outside ibm.com). However, although water covers 70% of the planet, more than 1 billion people worldwide don’t have proper access to a water supply (link resides outside ibm.com). In addition, over 2 billion people experience water scarcity for one month every year (link resides outside ibm.com). Lack of access to this vital natural resource can lead to many consequences, such as deaths related to drought. In fact, according to the February 2022 IPCC report (link resides outside ibm.com), 34% of disaster-related deaths (link resides outside ibm.com) between 1970 and 2019 were a result of drought.

When it comes to critical water-dependent activities such as watering crops, water scarcity and quality are major issues – especially for farmers in developing areas. Many farmers would benefit from guidance on what quantities of water to use for their crops on any given day to ensure a good yield, or better understand what sources of water are safe for irrigation. Addressing this issue can enhance the livelihoods of farmers and, consequently, their surrounding community.

To address water scarcity and quality using technology, Texas A&M AgriLife (link resides outside ibm.com) and Deltares (link resides outside ibm.com) are joining the first cohort of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator.