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Water conservation through trade: the case of Kenya

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  • Mesfin M. Mekonnen
  • Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Abstract

This study quantifies and maps the water footprint of Kenya from both production and consumption perspectives and estimates the country's virtual water export and import. Kenya's virtual water export related to trade in agricultural products was 4.1 km-super-3/y; its virtual water import was 4.0 km-super-3/y. The average export earning per unit of water consumed or polluted in producing agricultural export products was USD 0.25/m-super-3, while the average expenditure on imported commodities per unit of virtual water imported was USD 0.10/m-super-3. In addition to increasing water productivity in crop production, Kenya can mitigate its water scarcity by increasing imports of water-intensive products such as cereals and exports of high-value products such as cut flowers, vegetables, spices and tea.

Suggested Citation

  • Mesfin M. Mekonnen & Arjen Y. Hoekstra, 2014. "Water conservation through trade: the case of Kenya," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(4), pages 451-468, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rwinxx:v:39:y:2014:i:4:p:451-468
    DOI: 10.1080/02508060.2014.922014
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    Cited by:

    1. Guangyao Deng & Liujuan Wang & Yanan Song, 2015. "Effect of Variation of Water-Use Efficiency on Structure of Virtual Water Trade - Analysis Based on Input–Output Model," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(8), pages 2947-2965, June.
    2. Suduk O.Yu., 2018. "Methodology of evaluating the consumption of virtual water considering the features of organic production," Balanced Nature Using, Institute of agroecology and environmental management, vol. 10(3), pages 57-66, September.
    3. Thuy Thi Ngo & Nghia Tuan Le & Tuyen Minh Hoang & Dung Huu Luong, 2018. "Water Scarcity in Vietnam: a Point of View on Virtual Water Perspective," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(11), pages 3579-3593, September.
    4. Ignacio Cazcarro & Rosa Duarte & Miguel Martín-Retortillo & Vicente Pinilla & Ana Serrano, 2015. "How Sustainable is the Increase in the Water Footprint of the Spanish Agricultural Sector? A Provincial Analysis between 1955 and 2005–2010," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-26, April.
    5. Y. Kopnova, 2017. "A statistical analysis of the social and environmental risks of the international trade in virtual water," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 1310416-131, January.
    6. R. R. Weerasooriya & L. P. K. Liyanage & R. H. K. Rathnappriya & W. B. M. A. C. Bandara & T. A. N. T. Perera & M. H. J. P. Gunarathna & G. Y. Jayasinghe, 2021. "Industrial water conservation by water footprint and sustainable development goals: a review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(9), pages 12661-12709, September.
    7. Dennis Wichelns, 2015. "Water productivity and water footprints are not helpful in determining optimal water allocations or efficient management strategies," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(7), pages 1059-1070, November.
    8. Yuanhong Tian & Matthias Ruth & Dajian Zhu, 2017. "Using the IPAT identity and decoupling analysis to estimate water footprint variations for five major food crops in China from 1978 to 2010," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 2355-2375, December.
    9. Widhi Handayani & Augustinus Ignatius Kristijanto & Arianti Ina Restiani Hunga, 2019. "A water footprint case study in Jarum village, Klaten, Indonesia: The production of natural-colored batik," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1919-1932, August.
    10. Owusu-Sekyere, Enoch & Scheepers, Morné Erwin & Jordaan, Henry, 2017. "Economic Water Productivities Along the Dairy Value Chain in South Africa: Implications for Sustainable and Economically Efficient Water-use Policies in the Dairy Industry," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 22-28.
    11. Delbourg, Esther & Dinar, Shlomi, 2020. "The globalization of virtual water flows: Explaining trade patterns of a scarce resource," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

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