Determinants of Food Consumption Water Footprint in the MENA Region: The Case of Tunisia

Abstract

Tunisia, like most countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has limited renewable water resources and is classified as a water stress country. The effects of climate change are exacerbating the situation. The agricultural sector is the main consumer (80%) of blue water reserves. In this study, to better understand the factors that influence the food water footprint of Tunisian consumers, we used a multiple linear regression model (MLR) to analyze data from 4853 households. The innovation in this paper consists of integrating effects of socio-economic, demographic, and geographic trends on the food consumption water footprint into the assessment of water and food security. The model results showed that regional variations in food choices meant large differences in water footprints, as hypothesized. Residents of big cities are more likely to have a large water footprint. Significant variability in water footprints, due to different food consumption patterns and socio-demographic characteristics, was also noted. Food waste is also one of the determining factors of households with a high water footprint. This study provides a new perspective on the water footprint of food consumption using “household” level data. These dietary water footprint estimates can be used to assess potential water demand scenarios as food consumption patterns change. Analysis at the geographic and socio-demographic levels helps to inform policy makers by identifying realistic dietary changes.

Water Accounting for Food Security: Virtual Water and Water Productivity in the Case of Tunisian Olive Oil Value Chain

“…This work has the originality to combine several sound indicators of water accounting (virtual water and water productivity) and, at the same time, examine water efficiency consumption throughout the value chain of olive oil. These concepts were generally used separately and in only one phase of production, in most cases in the scientific literature [1,2,19], in spite of the complementarity of their conceptions and the relevance of the conclusions that can be drawn from their integrated use throughout the whole value chain. Water accounting and the study of its economic productivity is a fundamental step in understanding the success factors that can lead to good decisions about food security, especially in a context of water scarcity.…”

“…This supply management policy has proven to be insufficient to solve the problems of water scarcity in many regions. In addition, other innovative solutions, such as the use of non-conventional resources (desalination of sea-water and wastewater recycling), have remained limited and costly [1,2]. Therefore, it was an inevitable shift to a new policy based on water demand management.…”

“…The "virtual water" perspective is compatible with the concept of integrated water management, in which many aspects of water supply and demand are considered to determine the optimal use of limited water resources. Virtual water therefore has an intrinsic strategic acceptance, affecting agricultural policies and water resource management policies, particularly in arid and semi-arid countries, particularly in the evaluation of some strategic orientations [1,2]. In a convergent way, water productivity aims at measuring the efficiency of water use (i.e., how much a cubic meter of water is able to produce in terms of the product or in terms of the economic benefit).…”

“…Water indicators have been successfully assessed in several studies by taking into account its international implications on agri-food product transactions (import and export) [1,9,10]. Virtual water was used also in several studies as an indicator to analyze water management and allocation issues, especially in countries facing water scarcity [1,2,11,12]. It is considered an adjustment variable to structural deficits and an instrument to reshape the sectorial allocation of water [13].…”

“…As the most agri-food products, olive oil production requires large quantities of water throughout its value chain, from the agriculture phase to the obtention of the final product [2,11,31,35]. A good understanding of the functioning of the olive oil value chain and its decomposition as well as the estimation of the quantities of water consumed along the olive oil chain can probably provide the necessary elements to understand the distribution of this consumption in order to better manage this scarce resource and to determine the critical phases where interventions can have a positive impact in order to reduce the water needs [36].…”