"The global effects of meat consumption don't stop on land. Agriculture also requires water consumption, and animal agriculture is no exception. Animal production consumes an amount of water roughly equivalent to all other uses of water in the United States combined. Besides grains, animals need water to survive and grow until they are slaughtered. One pound of beef requires an input of approximately 2500 gallons of water, whereas a pound of soy requires 250 gallons of water and a pound of wheat only 25 gallons. Meat production is inefficient as it requires the consumption of an extensive amount of resources over many months and years before becoming a usable food product. With the water used to produce a single hamburger, you could take a luxurious shower every day for two and a half weeks."

Excerpt from http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/f/waterpollution.htm

Over and over again, the same answer to resolving food shortages, water shortages and desertification is given.

End the unnatural meat-eating/dominator culture (humans are herbivores) and its destruction of habitats for the sake of human and resource control. The earth must be allowed to recover its systems that sustain all life in accord with the requirements of ecology.

http://allinharmony.org/