Arabic + English

Horizons
Water and sustainable
development challenges
ARASCO
With this new version of the magazine
(Ana ARASCO), we extend our sincere
congratulations to all the employees of
ARASCO by the holy month of Ramadan,
asking Allah – the Almighty - to accept
our fasting, as well as showering us all
the most beautiful blessings and wishes
on the occasion of Eid al Fitr. May Allah
(SWT) bless all of us with happiness, and
with a happy new year.
The company has organized a number
of social activities and programs aimed
at stimulating the potentials, raising
capabilities and spreading the spirit
of communication between workers
and employees. This period witnessed
several visits by the company , s leaders
to a number of Units, during which they
inspected the operational process and the
working environment. They also reviewed
the production and development reports
being established by these Units in all
departments of their operational fields.
During this period, ARASCO received a
number of local and foreign delegations.
These visits were a good opportunity to
introduce the company , s development
and technical progress in its operational
and professional excellences. In the same
period, the company witnessed social
and recreational activities for employees
and their families aimed to strengthen
the relations between employees of the
company and strengthen it , s association
with them, in addition to the interest of
the management of the company and its
desire to expand the health insurance for
its employees internally and externally.
Dear readers, the management of
ARASCO will always be on time, and will
be keen at all times to provide the right
professional environment for further
success at all levels, and will spare
no effort or thought to achieve those
ambitious goals.
Once again, I wish my congratulations to
all the employees of ARASCO, and may
Allah be pleased with you all to fulfill your
entire personal wishes. My hopes are that
the success of the company will continue
at all levels and always be at the forefront.
Happy New Year to all
With best wishes and many thanks,
According to recent studies, water and its various resources are the main factors in determining
the indicators of sustainable development. Hence, most of the challenges facing the world today
are directly related to this vital fluid. Therefore, the focus in all countries of the world is towards
finding real ways to prevent wasted water stocks and how to preserve it for future generations.
The Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
José Graziano Da Silva, during his speech to members of the European Parliament, pointed out
the need to change the current agricultural and food systems for sustainable development. He
also said that the projects of intensification of large agriculture contribute to increase logging,
water scarcity and depletion of soil and raise the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Most of
these systems have contributed to increase food production significantly, but it was at the
expense of environmental health. He continued saying that It was necessary not just to focus
only on increasing production, but we have to do it in a manner, which will not be detrimental
to the environment. We must reconcile the provision of food for people and provide care for the
planet, which is consistent with the sustainable development plan for the year 2030 and the
Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Da Silva suggested transition from production systems
based on the intensive input to the production systems based on knowledge-intensive.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) predicts 10 challenges to
food security, improved nutrition and the promotion of sustainable agriculture around the world
alongside climate change. The agriculture sector is the most affected by climate change, the
agriculture and food systems are responsible for about 30 percent of the total of greenhouse
gas emissions, and freshwater resources are shrinking at a frightening rates as the water we
consume is much more than the water we drink. According to the current diet, we need a
quantity of 5-2 thousand liters of water to produce food consumed by one person. According to
the mentioned report, it is estimated that the world , s population will reach 10 billion by 2050
and that food demand will rise by 50% from now. All evidences indicate that two third of the
world , s population living in water-deficit countries will be affected by water-deficit by 2025 if
current consumption patterns continued.
In the same direction, water scarcity is expected to worsen as a result of climate change and
will lead to global warming between 1.6 °C and 6 °C by 2050. This change will lead to 7% of
the world , s population falling by 20% or more in renewable water resources. Reducing the food
waste calls for ways to use water more wisely.
FAO is working with different countries to ensure more efficient, productive equitable and
environmental friendly use of water in agriculture. This depends on producing more food with
less water, and building the capacity of agricultural communities to respond to floods and
drought, and applying clean water technologies that protect the environment.
Fahad Al Shehri
Chief Editor
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