Norman Borlaug, the father of the "green revolution," changed farming forever by creating the first genetically modified organism in Mexico by breeding the southern-grown wheat with the northern-grown wheat so that it could be grown year-round. Crops could now be grown year round, crop yields would increase, and crops could now become pest resistant. This simple invention, alongside other miraculous discoveries in the mid 1900s, including the all purpose tractor, would allow the carrying capacity to skyrocket to where scientist believe will result in a population of around 10 billion people by 2050. When one thinks deeply about it, how will we provide water to 10 billion people, when we are struggling to do the same with only 7 billion people? .
Many places in the world don't even have water, or ways to treat their clean water. For example, India's water has been contaminated by agricultural runoff and sewage. Around 14% of India's rural population uses or has access to a toilet. This lack of water limits handwashing, thus spreading diseases. Diarrhea alone kills over 1,600 people each day. If more water was available to those rural communities then the death rate could drop (Water.org ~ India). Right now, at 1.25 billion people, India is water stressed; they simply don't have enough water to go around. The UNICEF report on Indian Water said "There will be constant competition over water, between farming families and urban dwellers, environmental conservationists and industrialists, minorities living off natural resources and entrepreneurs seeking to commodify the resources base for commercial gain" (Arlington Institute). If India faces these struggles now, what will happen in 2028, when it is predicted that India will surpass China's population and reach a staggering 1.45 billion? Agricultural uses 90.5% of India's usable water. Between the climate changes exacerbating the water depletion rates, bad water management, and polluted water, it will be difficult for India to rebound and have a sufficient amount of water for all of its people.
