Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade
Summary: Global water savings can be achieved by trading crops from countries with higher to lower water productivity. However, strengthening such water-saving trade links could intensify global water stress if exports come from water-stressed countries to less stressed ones. Here, we explore whethe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | iScience |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011575 |
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| author | Ying Shi Xu Zhao Martin R. Tillotson Xinxin Zhang Rui Zhong Honglin Zhong |
| author_facet | Ying Shi Xu Zhao Martin R. Tillotson Xinxin Zhang Rui Zhong Honglin Zhong |
| author_sort | Ying Shi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Global water savings can be achieved by trading crops from countries with higher to lower water productivity. However, strengthening such water-saving trade links could intensify global water stress if exports come from water-stressed countries to less stressed ones. Here, we explore whether international crop trade can alleviate global water stress using a virtual scarce water saving/loss indicator and refined trade matrices for 109 crops across 150 countries. We further assess how differences in water productivity and stress between trade partners mitigate global water stress by categorizing different types of crop trade relationships. Our results indicate that while international crop trade generally helps mitigate global water stress, over half of the trade links still contribute to increased water stress. Scenario analysis suggests that enhancing crop water productivity among exporters involved in virtual scarce water loss trade links could convert up to 53% of these loss links into saving links. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9b30c5579b7c40e6bce689bb2b9598ec |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2589-0042 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iScience |
| spelling | doaj-art-9b30c5579b7c40e6bce689bb2b9598ec2025-08-20T03:30:30ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-07-0128711289610.1016/j.isci.2025.112896Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop tradeYing Shi0Xu Zhao1Martin R. Tillotson2Xinxin Zhang3Rui Zhong4Honglin Zhong5Institute of Blue and Green Development, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaInstitute of Blue and Green Development, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; Corresponding authorSchool of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT Leeds, UKBusiness School, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; Corresponding authorInstitute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaInstitute of Blue and Green Development, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; Corresponding authorSummary: Global water savings can be achieved by trading crops from countries with higher to lower water productivity. However, strengthening such water-saving trade links could intensify global water stress if exports come from water-stressed countries to less stressed ones. Here, we explore whether international crop trade can alleviate global water stress using a virtual scarce water saving/loss indicator and refined trade matrices for 109 crops across 150 countries. We further assess how differences in water productivity and stress between trade partners mitigate global water stress by categorizing different types of crop trade relationships. Our results indicate that while international crop trade generally helps mitigate global water stress, over half of the trade links still contribute to increased water stress. Scenario analysis suggests that enhancing crop water productivity among exporters involved in virtual scarce water loss trade links could convert up to 53% of these loss links into saving links.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011575Earth sciencesAgricultural scienceAgriculture in international tradeSustainability aspects of food production |
| spellingShingle | Ying Shi Xu Zhao Martin R. Tillotson Xinxin Zhang Rui Zhong Honglin Zhong Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade iScience Earth sciences Agricultural science Agriculture in international trade Sustainability aspects of food production |
| title | Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade |
| title_full | Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade |
| title_fullStr | Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade |
| title_full_unstemmed | Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade |
| title_short | Global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade |
| title_sort | global water stress mitigation achieved through international crop trade |
| topic | Earth sciences Agricultural science Agriculture in international trade Sustainability aspects of food production |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011575 |
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