Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of Water Science and Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The water used in the production process of an agricultural or industrial product is
called "virtual water". In Iran with low average annual precipitation also lack of
available water resources, concept of the virtual water and its trade is used as a
strategy for optimal operation of water resources in many fields such as water
scarcity, drought and so on. This concept, also, could hold some interesting new
opportunities for the field of sustainable consumption. Recently, in Iran, net virtual
water import reached to (15-20)*109 m3 per year and is one out of the top ten virtual
importing countries. In this research, after virtual water applicable concepts
expressing, virtual water content in some of the agricultural products in the world
have been compared with products existence in Iran. Additionally, we selected
some strategic agricultural products, which export and import to the country, and
used an algorithm called "Genetic Algorithm", to optimize virtual water usage and
trade according to demands, agricultural situation, production cost and
environmental condition. Results showed which products how could help optimal
water resources operation and effect of virtual water usage in economic growth.
Keywords
Hoekstra A.R., Hung P.Q., Virtual Water Trade: Proceedings of The International Expert Metting On Virtual Water trade, Value of Water Research Report Series, IHE, DELFT, (2003) 13-50.
Hoseini S.A., Arshadi M., Babai H., The First International Conference on Water Crisis, "Virtual Water: Concepts and Applications (In Persian), Zabol, IRAN, (2009).
Odularu G.O.E., Conceptual Explanat of Virtual Water Trade and Lessons For Africaion, Jurnal of Development and Agriculture Economicsl 1(2009) 162-167.
Schreier H., et al. Blue, Green and Virtual Water, for Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation Toronto Canada, Ontario, (2008).
)