Governance in the water sector is crucially important since the overarching goal of water security is to ensure the mitigation of global water crisis. Water security in mainland South Asia (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan) hinges upon the fulfillment of two conditions.

The recent trends of rising world food prices have received wide attention in South Asia due to their potential impact on the food security of its population. Although countries in the region have achieved near food self-sufficiency at the national level, most of them continue to be net importers of food in the global market.

The South Asian rivers show a discharge weighted average NO3-N of 2 mg/l and average sediment-bound N, that is mostly organic, of 0.2%. The reported global average for the uncontaminated river system is of the order of about 0.028 mg/l (NO3-N). Hence, our freshwater aquatic systems can no longer be considered natural, at least with respect to nitrogen transport.

How did South Asian societies rebuild their economies following natural disasters?