With a rapidly growing world population, rising food prices and increasing scarcity of water resources, food and water security have emerged as among the most serious challenges facing today's governments, including those of the GCC.

Arabian Gulf countries do not have sufficient natural water resources, and mainly rely on sea water desalination to satisfy their requirements. Natural food supplies in these countries are scare and face increasing degradation. Therefore the states of the region depend on food imported from abroad, which renders them vulnerable to social and economic instability stemming from fluctuations in world food production, basic commodity prices, and changes in commercial policies.

In keeping with the ECSSR's mission to examine vital global and regional issues, and its recognition of the need to develop solutions and strategies to maintain water and food security, the Center convened its 17th Annual Conference under the title: Water and Food Security in the Arabian Gulf on March 26–27, 2012 in Abu Dhabi, hosting a group of distinguished experts from various academic and professional backgrounds.

This book comprises a valuable collection of the papers presented at the conference. They address strategic dimensions of water security in the Arabian Gulf region through an examination of the current state of water resources, geopolitical dimensions of water scarcity, the future water supply–demand balance and the impact of population growth on water resources, and both national and regional water security policies.