Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa

Water scarcity has become one of the greatest challenges facing humankind today. Its scarcity is compounded by climate change and increasing demand from a growing population. In South Africa, over 60% of the available freshwater resources are used in agriculture, mainly in irrigated agriculture. The...

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Main Authors: Nhamo, L., Mpandeli, S., Liphadzi, S., Hlophe-Ginindza, S., Kapari, M., Molwantwa, J., Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Format: Book Chapter
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129778
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author Nhamo, L.
Mpandeli, S.
Liphadzi, S.
Hlophe-Ginindza, S.
Kapari, M.
Molwantwa, J.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
author_browse Hlophe-Ginindza, S.
Kapari, M.
Liphadzi, S.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Molwantwa, J.
Mpandeli, S.
Nhamo, L.
author_facet Nhamo, L.
Mpandeli, S.
Liphadzi, S.
Hlophe-Ginindza, S.
Kapari, M.
Molwantwa, J.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
author_sort Nhamo, L.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Water scarcity has become one of the greatest challenges facing humankind today. Its scarcity is compounded by climate change and increasing demand from a growing population. In South Africa, over 60% of the available freshwater resources are used in agriculture, mainly in irrigated agriculture. There is an urgent need to promote sustainable irrigation technologies that optimize food production without increasing water applied and with positive environmental spinoffs. Sustainable irrigation technologies and practices could enhance water use efficiency (WUE) and productivity in agriculture and reduce environmental burdens, including energy use. This chapter highlights some of the innovative irrigation practices and technologies that enhance food production and, at the same time, reduce water use in agriculture. The chapter broadly discusses WUE and water productivity (WP) in irrigated agriculture from engineering and agronomic perspectives. The chapter further highlights some of the environmental impacts of irrigation expansion and the possible solutions. We further provide the importance of accurate spatial information on irrigated areas to inform policy on irrigation expansion. The Water Research Commission (WRC) of South Africa has been spearheading research on the sustainable use of water for the past 50 years as part of its research agenda.
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spelling CGSpace1297782025-12-08T09:54:28Z Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa Nhamo, L. Mpandeli, S. Liphadzi, S. Hlophe-Ginindza, S. Kapari, M. Molwantwa, J. Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe water-use efficiency sustainable use irrigated farming water productivity irrigation water technology innovation water security water management climate change climate-smart agriculture resilience environmental impact sustainable development remote sensing Water scarcity has become one of the greatest challenges facing humankind today. Its scarcity is compounded by climate change and increasing demand from a growing population. In South Africa, over 60% of the available freshwater resources are used in agriculture, mainly in irrigated agriculture. There is an urgent need to promote sustainable irrigation technologies that optimize food production without increasing water applied and with positive environmental spinoffs. Sustainable irrigation technologies and practices could enhance water use efficiency (WUE) and productivity in agriculture and reduce environmental burdens, including energy use. This chapter highlights some of the innovative irrigation practices and technologies that enhance food production and, at the same time, reduce water use in agriculture. The chapter broadly discusses WUE and water productivity (WP) in irrigated agriculture from engineering and agronomic perspectives. The chapter further highlights some of the environmental impacts of irrigation expansion and the possible solutions. We further provide the importance of accurate spatial information on irrigated areas to inform policy on irrigation expansion. The Water Research Commission (WRC) of South Africa has been spearheading research on the sustainable use of water for the past 50 years as part of its research agenda. 2023 2023-03-28T05:26:12Z 2023-03-28T05:26:12Z Book Chapter https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129778 en Limited Access Elsevier Nhamo, L.; Mpandeli, S.; Liphadzi, S.; Hlophe-Ginindza, S.; Kapari, M.; Molwantwa, J.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2023. Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa. In Ting, D. S.-K.; O’Brien, P. G. (Eds.). Progress in sustainable development: sustainable engineering practices. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp.233-248. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-99207-7.00007-5]
spellingShingle water-use efficiency
sustainable use
irrigated farming
water productivity
irrigation water
technology
innovation
water security
water management
climate change
climate-smart agriculture
resilience
environmental impact
sustainable development
remote sensing
Nhamo, L.
Mpandeli, S.
Liphadzi, S.
Hlophe-Ginindza, S.
Kapari, M.
Molwantwa, J.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa
title Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa
title_full Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa
title_fullStr Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa
title_short Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa
title_sort advances in water research enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in south africa
topic water-use efficiency
sustainable use
irrigated farming
water productivity
irrigation water
technology
innovation
water security
water management
climate change
climate-smart agriculture
resilience
environmental impact
sustainable development
remote sensing
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129778
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