The Stream, April 6: Africa’s GM Food Trials

Rising population and chronic water shortages are forcing Jordan, one of the world’s driest countries, to pursue unconventional water strategy that is “environmentally unfriendly” and “chaotic,” according to experts. Jordan is considering tapping into the ancient Disi aquifer — despite concerns about high levels of radiation — and exploring the feasibility of building a controversial canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.

Food Shortage
The World Food Program has warned about a potential food crisis in the Horn of Africa, UPI reports. Rising grain and fuel prices, and forecasts for below-average long rains have raised concerns that more people might be forced into poverty this year.

Meanwhile, Reuters anticipates that Africa’s burgeoning population and resource shortages are likely to push more African countries into producing genetically modified crops. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mali, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana are currently conducting research and field trials of GM crops.

Great Man-Made River Project
Libya has warned that NATO-led air strikes could cause a catastrophe if they damaged the country’s massive Great Man-Made River (GMMR) project, which pumps water from Libya’s south to populated coastal areas in the north. The project supplies water to 70 percent of the country’s population and is considered crucial for Libya’s food security.

Inside Cities
This photo essay by Foreign Policy looks into the world’s fastest growing urban slums — from the the fringes of Chongqing in China to the outskirts of Paris and Los Angeles — which are absorbing millions of people each year, and putting pressure on limited resources, infrastructure and governance policies.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.