Mapping spatial supply chain paths for embodied water flows driven by food demand in China

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2021-09, Vol.786, p.147480-147480, Article 147480
• Main Authors: Li, Ke, Liang, Sai, Liang, Yuhan, Feng, Cuiyang, Qi, Jianchuan, Xu, Lixiao, Yang, Zhifeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Consumption; Food-water nexus; Input-output analysis; Structural path analysis; Supply chains
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147480

Identifying critical spatial supply chain paths for embodied water flows driven by food demand can guide the development of more spatially explicit food-related policies for water savings. Previous studies have quantified water uses caused by food demand, but overlook intermediate transfer paths within and among regions. That is, spatial supply chain paths describing step-by-step transfer stages between water uses and final food demand have not been well characterized. Based on the multi-regional input-output model and structural path analysis, this study exhaustively identifies critical spatial supply chain paths for provincial water withdrawals driven by final food demand in China. Results show that the final demand of food products from critical sectors (e.g., agricultural products processing, rice, and swine) and regions (e.g., Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, and Guangdong) drives large amounts of water withdrawals. Critical supply chain paths indicate that agricultural products processing, food manufacturing, and catering should pay special attention to increasing the use efficiency of rice, poultry, cotton, water, and gas products, which can effectively reduce national water withdrawals. The interregional paths further provide evidence for interregional cooperation to save food-related water resources, such as the transfer of capital and technologies from agricultural products processing in Shandong to cotton production in Xinjiang and rice production in Heilongjiang. These critical supply chain paths provide spatially explicit and targeted hotspots for demand-side policies. They can also serve for the evaluation of measures in each stage of the supply chain paths. [Display omitted] •Identifying critical spatial supply chain paths for food-related water uses•Critical pahts are related to rice, poultry, water, and gas products.•Interregional paths inform explicit interregional cooperation.•Critical paths provide spatially targeted hotspots for demand-side policies.