Water Crisis: A Call for Sustainable Agriculture

Catalonia Declares State of Emergency

For decades, Spain has overexploited its water resources and failed to build a sustainable food and agricultural system.

Last week, the region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain was forced to declare a state of emergency due to the ongoing drought. The reservoirs supplying six million people, including the residents of Barcelona, are now only 16% full.

Overnight, agriculture must now reduce field irrigation by 80% and cut water consumption in livestock farming by 50%. In the capital Barcelona, drinking water is already running out. If rain does not come immediately, the city of millions will have to be supplied with drinking water by tanker ship.

Plant-based Foods Instead of Animal Feed

Imports from Albania are now set to replace failing imports from Spain. Coop CEO Philipp Wyss will travel to Albania as early as next month to sign contracts with vegetable producers there.

With the initiative “For Secure Food Supply” we stay in Switzerland and strengthen “Miini Region”. On the 60% of arable land currently used for growing animal feed, more vegetables, legumes, and grains for human consumption should be grown instead. This would allow us to produce more than 10 times the calories with lower water consumption and pursue a net self-sufficiency rate of 70%, explains Franziska Herren.

Consider this: growing animal feed on arable land is the primary reason why 50% of our food supply depends on imports and cannot be secured in their absence.

Subsidies Favour Livestock Farming

Today, the federal government massively subsidizes the production and consumption of animal-based foods far more than plant-based foods, with 2.3 billion versus 0.5 billion francs. This makes growing animal feed on our arable land more lucrative for agriculture than growing plant-based foods. This prevents the development of a sustainable, climate-conscious agricultural and food economy and a secure food supply for the Swiss population.

As we have experienced in recent summers, the climate crisis can very quickly cause drinking water and water for food production to become scarce even in Europe's water tower, due to lack of rain and snow. Yet in Switzerland today, neither the federal government nor the cantons know how much water is consumed or how much water is sustainably available. What is taken for granted for electricity and transport is lacking for our water supply: a federal strategy and master plan.

You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose empathy on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan.