CCHU9001 S3 In-class Activity_Task2 by Mathew Pryor https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8 Designs on the Future en-us 2023-02-03 01:42:25 UTC 2025-10-23 05:56:08 UTC hello@padlet.com Search for an example about politics of food or water resources hkufoa https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2467076615
Find a global example (not HK) of a situation where supply of food or water is being controlled for political gain.   


Some guides:
  1. Please create a post for your response by clicking + and add your tutorial group number + location (e.g. A1-Singapore) as the Subject. Each group submits 1 answer.
  2. Attach photo that you found to the post
]]> 2023-02-03 03:54:20 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2467076615 B5 - Armenia https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472985251 Because of the recent war in 2022, the food that is coming from Iran is cut off due to Iran being a supporter of Azerbaijian in the attack on Armenia.]]> 2023-02-08 07:19:51 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472985251 D3 - South Sudan https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472985427 One example is the ongoing conflict in South Sudan in which the government is using food and water as a tool to control populations. In areas of South Sudan where the government is in control, food and water is only available to those in line with the current political ideologies. This has led to a widespread famine, malnutrition and water shortage in many parts of the country. The situation has become so dire that United Nations agencies have warned of an impending humanitarian crisis. In addition, the government is using its control of food and water sources to maintain its grip on power. This means denying people access to basic necessities in order to ensure loyalty and obedience, thus exacerbating the already dire situation.]]> 2023-02-08 07:20:00 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472985427 B7/B8 - North Korea https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472985923 The US has suspended food aid to North Korea because they have broken their promise to refrain from missile launches and cannot be trusted to deliver the aid to those who need it.]]> 2023-02-08 07:20:34 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472985923 D10- Egypt, ethiopia https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472987123 Water dispute on Nile river between Egypt and Ethiopia
Dam built by Ethiopia at the head of the Nile river, which reduces water supply to downstream Egypt by more than one third, which harm the agriculture seriously. Unequal distribution of water rights.]]> 2023-02-08 07:21:50 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472987123 D7/D8 China https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472987301 China and India: The Brahmaputra River, which originates in China and flows through India and Bangladesh, has become a political issue due to China's plans to build dams on the river. India fears that the dams will reduce the water flow into India, affecting agriculture and energy production.]]> 2023-02-08 07:22:01 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472987301 D1 India Pakistan https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472987931 In reprisal for a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir, the Indian government says it will divert river waters that downstream Pakistan has been counting on.]]> 2023-02-08 07:22:44 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472987931 B1- Israel https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472988059 In addition to the depletion of underground aquifers, one of Israel-Palestine’s largest water issues is one of fair distribution. Israel and Palestine have long struggled over the shared resources, heightening political tension in the region.  ]]> 2023-02-08 07:22:55 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472988059 D4 - Egypt https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472988077 Ethiopia has constructed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam but Egypt opposed it as it would potentially reduce the amount of water that receives from the Nile]]> 2023-02-08 07:22:56 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472988077 C6-USA https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989142 During the 1960s - 1970s, the US threatened to restrict their food exports to countries depending on their political compliance. For example, the US actually restricted exports to the Soviet Union due to their involvement in the invasion of Afghanistan. However this mainly backfired since it led to the US being less prominent in the food export market.]]> 2023-02-08 07:23:37 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989142 A10- Ethiopia and Egypt https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989206
Construction of Grabd Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has raised conflicts between Ethiopia and Egypt. Egypt claims that a legal agreement is required to fill the reservoir. However Ethiopia denies it.]]> 2023-02-08 07:23:42 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989206 A3-Southeast Asia (Mekong River) https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989262 Chinese government has the upper control of water supply for its own water supply and security issues due to its geographic position. However, the lack of cooperation with neighboring countries about water distribution raises the tensions including but not limited to political issues.]]> 2023-02-08 07:23:46 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989262 D5- China and Australia https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989569 China impost trade ban onthe importation of rock lobster from Australia ]]> 2023-02-08 07:24:07 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989569 A2-India https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989621 India constructed the Kishanganga Dam which reduced 33% of water going to Pakistan in Jehlum River. Since the upstream Jehlum river locates within India's boarder, India has control over the amount of water flowing to Pakistan downstream. The  Indus Water Treaty was arranged by the world bank and negotiates to share the water equally. As a result the Pakistan gov always has to care India's view over their policies, in case India suddenly shuts the water supply for Pakistan.

]]> 2023-02-08 07:24:10 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989621 B2 - Nile River (Egypt and Ethiopia) https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989730 The construction of upstream dams is likely to cause conflicts over water. World Wildlife Fund (2004) pointed out that dams and reservoirs have disrupted the water flow of 60% of the world’s major rivers. It was also found that dams have led to water scarcity downstream (Veldkamp et al., 2017). Nile River is a visible example of conflicts over constructing dams. Nile River runs through 11 countries and serves as the major source of these countries (National Geographic Society, 2019). Ethiopia, which built a hydroelectric dam, has the potential to disrupt Nile River water flows (Gebreluel, 2014). As Rile River is the major freshwater source of Egypt, it sees the dam as a threat to its water supply. Egyptian officials even threaten Ethiopia with military action in public and tensions between the two countries reach higher (BBC news, 2013, as cited in Gebreluel, 2014). ]]> 2023-02-08 07:24:17 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472989730 D9 - Iraq https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990000 Politicians pumped sewage to Iraq’s rivers, controlling water supply and forcing residents to leave.]]> 2023-02-08 07:24:31 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990000 A6- Somalia u3592250 https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990198 In Somalia, the rains failed, then Al-Shabab, an armed group that controls large swathes of south-central Somalia, started to impose hefty taxes on local farmers like Fathi Mohamed Ali.]]> 2023-02-08 07:24:45 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990198 A8 - Ukraine https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990204 Water has been weaponised in Ukraine as their water supply is under Russian attack during the war, putting Ukraine under a water crisis.]]> 2023-02-08 07:24:45 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990204 A7-Eygpt https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990221 The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam between Egypt and Ethiopia. Eygpt once opposed the constuction due to the concern of a possible reduction in water receives from the Nile.]]> 2023-02-08 07:24:47 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990221 D6 China, Taiwan https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990974 China banned thousands of Taiwan food imports as Nancy Pelosi, an American politician, riled. China, which claimed Taiwan as its own territory, has repeatedly warmed against Pelosi’s trip. Apparently, CEO of the Taiwan NextGen Foundation, Chen Kuan-Ting, explained that the ban was clearly an underhanded attempt to punish Taiwan for U.S actions. ]]> 2023-02-08 07:25:32 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472990974 C9/C10 ( India - Pakistan ) https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472991085 The Indus River system, which starts in Tibet and flows through both India and Pakistan, has been a source of tension between the two countries for a long time. The water from the Indus River and its tributaries is used for irrigation and hydropower, and it also gives millions of people in the area water to drink. Over the years, the two countries have used control of the river system as a bargaining chip in talks about a wide range of issues, such as territorial disputes, trade, and military tensions.

For example, India has built dams and canals on the Indus and its tributaries, which has made it harder for Pakistan to get water from the river. This has made the two countries angry with each other and led to disagreements about how to share water resources. In the past few years, there have been efforts to settle these disagreements through international talks, but no final agreement has been made.


In the India-Pakistan conflict, water was used as a political tool. This shows how important water is as a resource and how it could be used for political gain. It also serves as a reminder that water resources need to be managed in a way that is fair and long-term so that they can be used to help everyone in the region.]]> 2023-02-08 07:25:40 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472991085 B3 - North Korea https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472991551 From 1989 to 1991, North Korea lost 80 per cent of its foreign trade as the Soviet Union collapsed. Oil imports from Russia were stopped completely and imports from China declined significantly. Two devastating floods swept the country in 1995 and 1997, destroying entire industries as mines flooded and roads were washed away. The period of famine and suffering that resulted from these factors, otherwise known as the Arduous March, lasted about 16 years, from 1994 to the end of 2009. All of North Korea’s key industries either stopped or decreased production.

Sanctions are a major impediment to recovery. UN sanctions negatively impact North Korea’s overall food production by banning seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural equipment and other types of machinery. According to the 2020 Needs and Priorities report compiled by the UN Resident Coordinator for North Korea, “around 10.1 million people, or 39.6 percent of the country’s population, are food insecure.” Contrary to popular narratives that claim North Korea’s government is intentionally withholding food from its population, the UN Resident Coordinator is quite clear that “food insecurity in the country is driven by a lack of access to modern agricultural equipment and techniques; and is amplified by recurrent natural disasters and the impacts of climate change.” In fact, North Korea has a public food distribution system, but is unable to access the necessary agricultural imports from the world market. Moreover, the impact of sanctions on North Korean agriculture must be considered in combination with the effects of division, as Northern Korea is prevented from relying on Korea’s historic breadbasket in the south for foodstuffs.

North Korea has also had to navigate the effects of sanctions on its water, sanitation, hygiene and healthcare infrastructure. According to UNICEF, over 9.75 million people do not have access to safely managed drinking water; 83.2 per cent of households do not use any water treatment method; and 36.6 per cent have contaminants4 in their drinking water. Moreover, “half of all schools and health facilities lack adequate water and sanitation facilities.”]]> 2023-02-08 07:26:09 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472991551 A1-US/China https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472991590 In the recent political move against china's expansion, the United States imposed heavy taxes on Chinese export, kickstarting a trade war against China. China later retaliated by imposing taxes against US agricultural products. Heavily impacting local US farmers and chinese markets. This trade war has led to a decrease of china and US food export, increasing global food shortages.]]> 2023-02-08 07:26:11 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472991590 D2 - Germany during WWI https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472992795 The Allied Power had an embargo against Germany in 1914 that involved food as one of the restricted materials as Germany is dependent on imported food.]]> 2023-02-08 07:26:58 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472992795 A5-Ukraine, China https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472992951 China increased its reliance of soybeans on US due to Ukraine war, it raising prices of soybeans as a substitute.]]> 2023-02-08 07:27:07 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472992951 B6-Russia https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993069 Middle Eastern and North African countries rely heavily on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine. 
The war between Russia and Ukraine led to a food crisis.]]> 2023-02-08 07:27:14 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993069 B9/10 Afghanistan and Iran https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993192 Afghanistan’s efforts to harness the waters of the Helmand River and the Harirud to support post-conflict reconstruction and development have alarmed Iran. The Iranian government perceives Afghanistan’s agricultural expansion and dam construction activities as threats to water security in its eastern and northeastern provinces. With a largely ineffective water treaty in place, cooperative initiatives have not yet achieved a breakthrough. Afghanistan’s reluctance to engage in water negotiations, coupled with Iran’s alleged “paradoxical” activities of support vs. disruption, have further complicated the resolution of transboundary water disputes between the two countries.]]> 2023-02-08 07:27:22 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993192 A4- Palestine-Israel https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993780 Israel controls 97% of the water sources and water infrastructures in the occupied territories of Palestine. They use this fact as a tool of further oppression to regulate the access of the Palestinians to safe and clean water and drive Palestinians out of their homes. ]]> 2023-02-08 07:27:50 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993780 B4 https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993910 The Ganges river delta is disputed between India and Bangladesh. The water reserves are being quickly depleted and polluted, while deforestation in the Himalayas is causing the Ganges river to dry up. Downstream, India controls the flow to Bangladesh with the Farajja Barrage on the Indian side of the border. Until the late 1990s, India used the barrage to divert the river to Calcutta, to keep the city's port from drying up. This denied Bangladeshi farmers water and silt, and left the wetlands and mangrove
 forests at the river's delta seriously threatened. The two countries have now signed an agreement to share the water more equally despite water quality being a problem due to the high levels of arsenic and untreated sewage in the river water. India will have an economic advantage since Calcutta is the sole port of India, and that the ruling party in the Indian central government will be able to increase their political stake in the state since they have a large amount of West Bengal voters.
 
]]> 2023-02-08 07:27:59 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472993910 C1/2 https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472995451 Turkey plans on constructing 22 dams, 19 hydropower stations, and 25 irrigation systems on the Euphrates river, resulting in a 35% reduction in water flow to Syria in normal years and even more in dry years. This project would also pollute the river with irrigation runoff. 

]]> 2023-02-08 07:29:18 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472995451 C7/C8 - US https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472996544 US and China
During the trade war, US controlled the export of soybean to China to achieve their war goal. It caused 70.7% losses from tariffs in agriculture of China.]]> 2023-02-08 07:30:20 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472996544 C3/C4 - Russia https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472998109 Since the war began, Putin has weaponized food by increasing costs of fertilizer exports of its largest fertilizer firm, Yara. This is a big deal as Russia happens to be the world's largest exporter of fertilizer. A disruption in Russian fertilizer is needed to maintain worldwide food production. A
sustained sharp increase in fertilizer could lower food production yields that would severely affect the food supply for everyone globally until the end of the decade. This results in an increase on food price levels for a sustained period of time.]]> 2023-02-08 07:31:57 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472998109 A9-United State https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472998811 As America is located at the upper stream of Colorado's basin and Mexico is located at the lower stream of the basin, any interception action adopted by America will seriously affect the water condition of Mexico.

The Colorado's demise was sealed in 1944 when Mexico and the US signed an agreement to construct the Morelos Dam at the border and guarantee water to Mexico only for agriculture. Because the 1944 treaty did not allocate Mexico any water for the river itself, the channel is mostly dry. The loss of the river in Mexico has been devastating. The US occasionally released “extra” water to deal with heavy snow and rain that risked overwhelming its dams.

Taking away the river had a huge impact on Mexicans, it took away part of our identity. They felt anger, sadness, and grief.]]> 2023-02-08 07:32:35 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2472998811 C5 - Ukraine/Crimea https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2473006587 In February and March 2014, Russia invaded and subsequently annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. This event took place in the aftermath of the Revolution of Dignity and is part of the wider Russo-Ukrainian War. As Crimea is no longer part of Ukraine, water supply from Ukraine has been cut due to a dispute between Ukraine and Crimea which is aggravated by the breakdown of relations between Kiev and Moscow.]]> 2023-02-08 07:39:37 UTC https://padlet.com/hkufoa/ek6kduu3bt7s6vi8/wish/2473006587