The Stream, April 5: Irrigating Peru’s Desert

Peru
Plans for a $500 million water project in Peru could divert rainwater across the Andes from the Amazon Basin to the country’s dry coast, turning the desert there into farmland, Reuters reported. The Olmos Irrigation Project is slated to start in 2014, and is one of seven large projects Peru has planned to increase its agricultural area.

Africa
Drought-induced food crises in Africa are a growing concern, but developed countries are reluctant to heed early famine warnings due to political reasons, according to a report from the Chatham House thinktank, AlertNet reported. Concern about the groups receiving aid, and skepticism about the severity of looming crises, were both reasons for government inaction cited in the report.

Colorado
Farmers in Colorado are struggling to secure enough irrigation water for their crops, as agricultural and municipal water users compete for the scarce resource, NPR reported. Drought has drawn down water supplies across the western United States.

Taiwan
Water rationing is still in effect in areas of Taiwan, which has suffered its driest spring in 58 years, according to the Taipei Times. Some reservoirs are below 50 percent capacity, and recent rains have done little to alleviate the problem.

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.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek