Mineral commodity
WATER
The concept of "Virtual Water" was first introduced by British professor John Anthony Allan and refers to the water embedded in the manufacturing process of consumer goods, from the cultivation of raw materials to industrialization. This concept even earned the professor the "Stockholm International Water Prize".
Virtual Water allows us to have a broader understanding of the conscious use of water, especially in the current context in which water scarcity is a possibility. According to the water and sewage treatment company Sabesp, daily water consumption per inhabitant is approximately 200 liters per day. However, according to calculations by Virtual Water presented by National Geographic magazine (April 2010), the production of one kilo of beef consumes approximately 15 thousand liters of water, and the production of a cup of coffee, approximately 140 liters, for example. Data such as these allow us to conclude that the amount of water resources we need for our survival is infinitely greater than expected.
In addition to the domestic water economy, Virtual Water is also related to an important socio-economic context with regard to the water involved in the production of commodities destined for export. Agribusiness in Brazil occupies a prominent position on the world stage, generating around 28% of GDP and 37% of total exports, according to the Brazilian Agriculture and Livestock Confederation.
Brazil is home to around 19% of the planet's water. However, despite its relative abundance, its distribution is not uniform. For example: the Amazon has the largest river basin in the world, with the Amazon River considered essential to the planet. However, it is one of the least populated regions in the country. On the other hand, the largest urban centers with the highest population concentration are very far from the great Brazilian rivers such as the Amazon, São Francisco and Paraná. In these circumstances, the production and trade in which water is involved require a new approach.
In this context of commodity exports, Brazil indirectly sends around 112 trillion liters of fresh water abroad, according to data from UNESCO – the equivalent of 45 million Olympic swimming pools. This data places the country as the fourth largest exporter of "virtual water" in the world, behind only the United States, China and India.
