Optimized Water Resources Planning Based on Virtual Water Consideration

Virtual water is the water 'embodied' in a product, not in real sense. It refers to the water needed for the production of the product. Most of the countries located in dry lands replace the water needed for domestic production with more necessary applications by using the policy of importing food from wet land countries. Less emphasis onagricultural self-sufficiency and preferring the importing of water consuming products can keep the inner waterresources in safe level. In addition, the remaining water can be used in producing less water consuming products and the relevant exports .Lots of the water industry problems can be solved by revising water resource management strategies using the virtual water concept and adequate potentials in this section. In this paper, three different scenarios due to international trade of food products have been investigated, and finally the most appropriate one is chosen.

Keywords:

Virtual water trade , Water resource management , Water economics , Food security