Global flows of foods also have significance for water: crops require varying amounts of water to be produced and in themselves contain water when transported. Rice for instance uses between 500 and 2000 liters per kilo.

Furthermore, exports relate to food security and economy, two major policy goals for governments worldwide.

Even though the flows of water around the world are difficult to map, these pages provide an approximation: they show imports and exports on 5 main crops worldwide.

At a later stage, the eAtlas will produce derived maps that show the exports and imports of virtual water based on these trade figures.

An example can be found here.