Circular Economy and the Water-Food Nexus
Read how Yarra Valley Water is playing a key role in creating a circular economy community food hub.
Currently, agriculture accounts for 70% of all water withdrawn. By 2050, demand for food will increase by 60%. Meantime, global water demand for agriculture will increase by 60% by 2025. Climate change will only exacerbate food-water nexus pressures.
In addition, agriculture is the main polluter of surface water and groundwater supplies while increased demand for water in agricultural production is increasing urban-rural competition for scarce water resources.
Whittlesea Community Farm
Yarra Valley Water is currently planning the development of the Whittlesea Community Farm alongside its Aurora recycled water treatment plant at Wollert. With a Victorian Government grant of $1.5 million, Yarra Valley Water is providing land, recycled water, and renewable energy for the farm, which is being developed in partnership with the City of Whittlesea, Melbourne Polytechnic, and Whittlesea Community Connections.
The vision is to create a farming enterprise and community food hub which uses best practices in sustainable agriculture and demonstrates the circular economy in action. In particular, the hub will provide food for distribution into the local emergency relief network and provide volunteering, education, and employment opportunities in best practice sustainable agriculture systems for peri-urban areas.
The take-out
Recycled water is key to ensuring food security for communities.
Join the conversation on the following LinkedIn groups: Urban Water Security, Our Future Water, Circular Water Economy, Blue-Green Infrastructure, Nature-Based Solutions, and Urban and Regional Futures
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