Water Resources and Irrigation Policy Issues in Asia

Freshwater is a finite resource that is being continuously exploited to meet the requirements of an increasing population. The estimated average available water per capita worldwide decreased from about 40,000 cubic meter (m³) in 1800 to 17,000 m³ in 1950, 12,900 m³ in 1970 and 7,000 m³ in 1997. Although the present availability is still relatively high, it is rapidly decreasing – projected to be only 4,700 m³ by 2025. Moreover, there are large spatial and temporal variations in water availability. In some parts of Asia, water availability is less than the threshold level of 2,000 m³, below which an area is considered water-stressed.