Bandar
Seri Begawan – Based on a United Nations
report, 3.75 million people die annually due to water-related diseases while
884 million people don’t have access to clean water (ratio of one for every
eight people).
The
report also showed that 15,000 litres of water are needed to produce one kilo
of meat, while 1,500 litres of water are needed to produce one kilo of wheat.
And to provide food for one person per day needs between 3,000 and 5,000 litres
of water.
At the
same time the report also stated that agriculture consumes 70 per cent of
global fresh water resources but only three per cent can be used for world
population.
These
were pointed out by the Minister of Development, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera
Pahiawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Suyoi bin Hj Osman, in his speech at the
launching of the World Water Day 2012 yesterday.
He
further disclosed that these statistics show that without water there will be
no food supply and this was the message delivered by the Agriculture Minister
of France during the ministerial meeting at the 6th World Water Conference held
March 13 in Marseille, France.
Brunei
Darussalam is not totally secure when it comes to the supply of water and this
is why in the National Development Plan infrastructures such as water
treatment, water supply network system and proper drainage are given priority
and the government spends a lot to deliver them, the minister said.
“Effects
from climate change have made the agricultural sector to face uncertainty due
to natural disasters such as flood and drought and thus agriculture-based
countries need to invest in research and development to produce agricultural
products and seeds that are resilient and have efficient drainage apart from
preserving the existing ecosystem,” he said.
In
observing the World Water Day, there is a need to take overall action and find
solutions in answering challenges related to water issues. There is a need to
take relevant action in protecting and preserving rivers and saving water, the
minister said.
“The
advancement of technology is not the real challenge here but to provide
awareness on the importance of water and its shortage to the Brunei citizens is
the main ‘challenge and thus it’s high time that education on water issues
needs to be upgraded,” Pehin Dato Hj Suyoi said.
Brunei’s
usage of 450 litres of water per person per day,- said the minister, is the
highest compared to neighbouring countries where the usage is 150 litres to 280
litres per person per day.
“It is
wrong to assume that the water supply that we have now will be continuous and
easy to obtain as in many countries around the world, the era of easy access to
water supply is over and thus we need to improve our water supply management at
home, office as well as our water supply system,” said the minister.
Borneo
Bulletin
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