IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i13p10648-d1187880.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Water Scarcity Management to Ensure Food Scarcity through Sustainable Water Resources Management in Saudi Arabia

Author

Listed:
  • Bader Alhafi Alotaibi

    (Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mirza Barjees Baig

    (Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water & Desert Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohamed M. M. Najim

    (Department of Zoology and Environmental Management, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya 11600, Sri Lanka)

  • Ashfaq Ahmad Shah

    (Nanjing Research Center for Environment and Society, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
    School of Public Administration, Hohai University, 8 Fochengxi Road, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211100, China)

  • Yosef A. Alamri

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Saudi Arabia (SA) faces a water shortage, and it further challenges sustainable agriculture, industrial development and the well-being of people. SA uses more than 80% of its water resources for agricultural purposes. Groundwater extractions account for most of this demand, which is not sustainable. Hence, this study aims to analyze water management practices used in SA to propose viable and workable solutions to achieve sustainable management of scarce water resources. This study is based on a critical evaluation of information available on the water sector in SA. About 89% of the water demand in the Kingdom is non-sustainably met through over-pumping from groundwater resources and 9.3% by energy-intensive desalination. SA invested in dams and developed rainwater harvesting to enhance surface water availability and increase the recharge capacity of renewable aquifers. As there is a huge demand–supply gap, water demand management tools are the viable solutions leading to sustainability compared to supply enhancement that is capital intensive. A national agricultural policy, together with a water policy, can make agricultural systems more input efficient with higher productivity. Region-specific sustainable water resources management plans need to be implemented to match the demand–supply gap. Conjunctive water uses utilizing and prioritizing different water sources viz. harvested rainwater, treated wastewater, desalinized water, and groundwater, is vital in sustainable water resources management. In addition, climate change has exerted pressure on the available water resources and water uses as well as users, leading to adaptation for measures that are more sustainable in terms of water management. The most pressing problem SA faces in water resources management is the depletion and degradation of surface and subsurface water sources. SA has to implement many technological and legislative changes in addition to service management, conservation measures, paying a reasonable and justifiable price for water, and strengthening state agencies that will make water resources management in SA sustainable.

Suggested Citation

  • Bader Alhafi Alotaibi & Mirza Barjees Baig & Mohamed M. M. Najim & Ashfaq Ahmad Shah & Yosef A. Alamri, 2023. "Water Scarcity Management to Ensure Food Scarcity through Sustainable Water Resources Management in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:13:p:10648-:d:1187880
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/13/10648/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/13/10648/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Bank, 2005. "A Water Sector Assessment Report on the Countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf," World Bank Publications - Reports 8719, The World Bank Group.
    2. Cao, Xinchun & Bao, Yutong & Li, Yueyao & Li, Jianni & Wu, Mengyang, 2023. "Unravelling the effects of crop blue, green and grey virtual water flows on regional agricultural water footprint and scarcity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    3. Abdul Munaf Mohamed Irfeey & Mohamed M. M. Najim & Bader Alhafi Alotaibi & Abou Traore, 2023. "Groundwater Pollution Impact on Food Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mohammad Suhail & Turki Kh. Faraj & Waseem Ahmad & Alikul Xudayberdiyevich Ravshanov & Mohd Nazish Khan, 2024. "Issues of Water Resources in Saudi Arabia: Past, Present, and Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-17, May.
    2. Hesham M. Ibrahim & Abdulaziz G. Alghamdi & Anwar A. Aly, 2024. "Assessing Drought Patterns in Al-Baha: Implications for Water Resources and Climate Adaptation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-26, November.
    3. Abdullah Alodah, 2023. "Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management Considering Climate Change in the Case of Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-29, October.
    4. Fahad Alzahrani & Momtaz Elsebaei & Rady Tawfik, 2023. "Public Acceptance of Treated Wastewater Reuse in the Agricultural Sector in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-14, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Badir S. Alsaeed & Dexter V. L. Hunt & Soroosh Sharifi, 2024. "A Sustainable Water Resources Management Assessment Framework (SWRM-AF) for Arid and Semi-Arid Regions—Part 1: Developing the Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-43, March.
    2. Omar Saif & Toufic Mezher & Hassan Arafat, 2014. "Water security in the GCC countries: challenges and opportunities," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 4(4), pages 329-346, December.
    3. Choi, Soon-Ho, 2017. "Thermal type seawater desalination with barometric vacuum and solar energy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1332-1349.
    4. Diana J. Fuerte-Velázquez & Luis Seguí-Amórtegui & Alberto Gómez-Tagle & Hilda Guerrero-García-Rojas, 2024. "Avocado Water Footprint for Two Municipalities in Michoacán, Mexico: A Research of the Blue and Green WF," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Siderius, Christian & Conway, Declan & Yassine, Mohamed & Murken, Lisa & Lostis, Pierre-Louis & Dalin, Carole, 2020. "Multi-scale analysis of the water-energy-food nexus in the Gulf region," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 104091, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Mark Schoor & Ana Patricia Arenas-Salazar & Benito Parra-Pacheco & Juan Fernando García-Trejo & Irineo Torres-Pacheco & Ramón Gerardo Guevara-González & Enrique Rico-García, 2024. "Horticultural Irrigation Systems and Aquacultural Water Usage: A Perspective for the Use of Aquaponics to Generate a Sustainable Water Footprint," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-22, June.
    7. Arvind Bhatt & Narayana R. Bhat & Majda Khalil Suleiman & Hamad Al-Mansour, 2023. "Prioritization of Potential Native Plants from Arabian Peninsula Based on Economic and Ecological Values: Implication for Restoration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, April.
    8. Xueqing Zhao & Jin Shi & Meixia Liu & Saud Uz Zafar & Qin Liu & Ishaq A. Mian & Bushra Khan & Shadman Khan & Yan Zhuang & Wenyi Dong & Enke Liu, 2023. "Spatial Characteristics and Driving Forces of the Water Footprint of Spring Maize Production in Northern China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, September.
    9. Omar K.M. Ouda, 2014. "Water demand versus supply in Saudi Arabia: current and future challenges," International Journal of Water Resources Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 335-344, June.
    10. Abdul Munaf Mohamed Irfeey & Hing-Wah Chau & Mohamed Mahusoon Fathima Sumaiya & Cheuk Yin Wai & Nitin Muttil & Elmira Jamei, 2023. "Sustainable Mitigation Strategies for Urban Heat Island Effects in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-26, July.
    11. Wu, Nan & Zhang, Jianyun & Gao, Xinyu & Wang, Xiaojun & Wu, Mengyang & Cao, Xinchun, 2023. "Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    12. Omar K. M. Ouda, 2016. "Treated wastewater use in Saudi Arabia: challenges and initiatives," International Journal of Water Resources Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(5), pages 799-809, September.
    13. Yin, Yali & Tong, Jiajun & Gu, Jiali & Sun, Shikun & Sun, Jingxin & Zhao, Jinfeng & Tang, Yihe & Wu, Pute & Wang, Yubao & Wu, Zhaodan, 2024. "Socio-hydrology pathway of grain virtual water flow in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    14. Huang, Hongrong & Zhuo, La & Wang, Wei & Wu, Pute, 2023. "Resilience assessment of blue and green water resources for staple crop production in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    15. Abdullah Alodah, 2023. "Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management Considering Climate Change in the Case of Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-29, October.
    16. Gazzeh, Karim & Abubakar, Ismaila Rimi, 2018. "Regional disparity in access to basic public services in Saudi Arabia: A sustainability challenge," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 70-80.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:13:p:10648-:d:1187880. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.