Irish cattle farmers top sustainable water usage league in UN study

Irish cattle farmers are top of the sustainable water usage league among the world’s main dairy and beef producers, according to a new study by the UN.

The UN’s recent study of cattle farming nations with territories under water stress placed Ireland as top performers with a 0% stress rating. Other countries with single-digit stress ratings included New Zealand (1%), Brazil (2%), France (5%), and Britain (5%).

In terms of the EU, the most worrying cattle farming nation was the Netherlands, of which 24% of its territory is under stress. The EU’s other major farming nation, Germany, was given a 16% rating.

The UN conducted the survey because of a previous estimate that in less than 15 years from now, some two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stress conditions. This means there will be not enough water for all uses in these regions.

Meanwhile, Bord Bia has been has been conducting research with Cranfield University in England, examining water consumption for dairy and beef production systems in Ireland.

This study has looked at Irish water usage under two categories. It uses the term ‘blue’ water to describe water that is abstracted from rivers, groundwater or mains supplies. The study uses the term ‘green’ water for rainfall that is used by plants where they grow, without incurring transportation.

Bord Bia’s meat division manager Jim O’Toole said: “Abundant rainfall in Ireland means that water stress is not an issue whereas currently in England, for example, there has been drought pressure in some regions throughout the winter. Irish rainfall volumes are also responsible for the high productivity of our grassland.

“The study concludes that for both beef and dairy less than 2% of the total water consumption is [abstracted] blue water. Combining the blue water use with a water stress index can give a ‘normalised’ water footprint. Such a footprint for Irish beef and dairy compares very favourably with other countries.”

Meat and dairy products can be characterised as being big water consumers but some analyses ignore the critical questions from a sustainability perspective; how much abstracted water is required and what impact does that have on the environment where it is produced. The Bord Bia and Cranfield University study takes this latter factor into account.