Water for food: a human rights obligation: How states can manage conflicts between the human right to water and the human right to adequate food

Abstract

While the right to water is a universal human right, water resources are limited. The single largest consumer of water globally is agriculture with its function to safeguard the right to adequate food. At the same time, water resources available for human consumption are decreasing, and more and more countries face water shortages.

Conflicts related to water will become a serious issue. Local authorities as well as state governments need to develop mechanisms and criteria that allow them to decide which claims for water have priority and to settle disputes over access to, and availability of, water before conflicts escalate.

This study argues and describes a human rights-based approach for defining priorities both at national and local levels.