This summary of the International Water Management Institute's 2007 Earthscan book of the same name describes key water-food-environment trends that infuence our lives today and uses scenarios to explore the consequences of a range of potential investments. It aims to inform investors and policymakers about water and food choices in light of such crucial influences as poverty, ecosystems, governance, and productivity. It covers rainfed agriculture, irrigation, groundwater, marginal-quality water, fisheries, livestock, rice, land, and river basins.

Summaries of the book are also available in Arabic, Russian, Spanish and French.