Question

Explain the term Virtual water.

Answer 1

1. The term virtual water was introduced by Tony Allen in 1990.
2. The water consumed in the production process of agriculture or industrial product has been called virtual water.
3. It is a hidden flow of water when food or other commodities are traded from one place to another.
4. For instance, it takes 1340 cubic meters of water to produce one metric ton of wheat.
5. That is if one metric ton of wheat is exported to another country, then, it means that 1340 cubic metres of water used to cultivate this amount of wheat is also being exported.
6. India is the largest global freshwater user.
7. India has been the fifth largest exporter of virtual water in the world.