An example of this boom is the asparagus industry, which employs 120,000 people in the fields alone, according to official figures. But this crop requires huge volumes of water. One hectare of asparagus needs 22,000 cubic meters of water... seven times more water than is needed to grow the displaced "quebranta" grape, the traditional crop of the southwestern department of Ica.
The Ica aquifer is one of the largest underground water reserves along the Peruvian coast, but is being depleted, and if the current pace continues, it could disappear by 2013.
Over-exploitation of water resources has combined with climate change and the subsequent melting of glaciers in Huancavelica, the region neighboring Ica, and which supplies water to its rivers.
... 'it is not viable to continue growing water-intensive crops in desert zones."
... 'water shortages in Ica have reached "critical levels."
In all of Peru there is a water crisis.. glaciers are rapidly disappearing, when they are gone mass migrations of people will need to take place... where are they going to go...
Water Evaporates in Peru's For-Export Crops - IPS ipsnews.net
