World Water Day is celebrated on Thursday, March 22, and this year’s theme is water and food security.
According to the United Nations, 70 percent of the blue water withdrawals at global level go to irrigation. Irrigated agriculture represents 20 percent of the total cultivated land, but contributes 40 percent of the total food produced worldwide.
Working out your water footprint is a way of measuring our direct and indirect water use and is regarded as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by an individual or a community or produced by a given business.
It takes 50 litres of water to produce one orange and 70 litres of water to produce a potato, but 7 000 litres to produce a beef steak. Conservation agriculture is like conservation gardening and focuses on creating the optimum results for the least input of resources.
Already homeowners are learning how to achieve this by adopting water-wise gardening principles, mixing water retaining polymers in the soil, and discovering how to install a biofilter which results in crystal clear water without the need for chemicals.
Open garden
Last weekend, the Gardens of the Golden City charity open gardens scheme opened one of the most fascinating gardens in Joburg. Situated in Melville, the garden is home to Cavan Hill and Lynne Maree. “Cavan has always been interested in creating a water-wise eco-friendly green garden,” says Lynne, a passionate gardener.
A chemical engineer, Cavan works at the forefront of green energy strategies for Sasol.
Their garden was dramatically enlarged in August 2010, when a piece of land adjoining the Melville Koppies became available.
With the help of landscaper and succulent fundi Judd Kirkel, the garden was terraced with stone walls, planted with mature aloes rescued from mining sites, and landscaped with rare and interesting succulents.
“I do still have a little English garden corner which includes a few roses that my mom gave me,” says Lynne.
The garden has some jaw-dropping water-smart features that offer a clue to the future of gardening.
The highlight is a swimming pool built by Anthony Philbrick, in a figure 8. The swimming area of the pool lies beside a natural water garden which acts as a permanent biofilter for the water which enters the pool. And, under the patio, is a 20 000 litre water tank which catches water from the roof and the Melville Koppies, for use on the garden.
FACT FILE
The World Water Day website (www.unwater.org/worldwaterday) has superb digital posters, banners, pamphlets and cellphone downloads. Educational animations aim to show the relationship between food production and water use. - Saturday Star