Satisfying future water demands for agriculture
The global demand for water in agriculture will increase over time with increasing population, rising incomes, and changes in dietary preferences. Increasing demands for water by industrial and urban users, and water for the environment will intensify competition. At the same time, water scarcity is...
| Autores principales: | , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier
2010
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40495 |
| _version_ | 1855531118181220352 |
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| author | Fraiture, Charlotte de Wichelns, Dennis |
| author_browse | Fraiture, Charlotte de Wichelns, Dennis |
| author_facet | Fraiture, Charlotte de Wichelns, Dennis |
| author_sort | Fraiture, Charlotte de |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The global demand for water in agriculture will increase over time with increasing population, rising incomes, and changes in dietary preferences. Increasing demands for water by industrial and urban users, and water for the environment will intensify competition. At the same time, water scarcity is increasing in several important agricultural areas. We explore several pathways for ensuring that sufficient food is produced in the future, while also protecting the environment and reducing poverty. We examine four sets of scenarios that vary in their focus on investments in rainfed agriculture and irrigation, and the role of international trade in adjusting for national disparities in water endowments. Rainfed agriculture holds considerable potential but requires adequate mechanisms to reduce inherent risks. Irrigation expansion is warranted in places where water infrastructure is underinvested such as Sub-Saharan Africa. In South Asia the scope for improving irrigation performance and water productivity is high. International trade can help alleviate water problems in water-scarce areas, subject to economic and political considerations. We examine also a regionally optimized scenario that combines investments in rainfed and irrigated agriculture with strategic trade decisions. Compared to 'business as usual', this scenario reduces the amount of additional water required to meet food demands by 2050 by 80%. Some of that water could be made available for the environment and other sectors. We conclude that there are sufficient land and water resources available to satisfy global food demands during the next 50 years, but only if water is managed more effectively in agriculture. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace40495 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publishDateRange | 2010 |
| publishDateSort | 2010 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace404952025-06-17T08:23:57Z Satisfying future water demands for agriculture Fraiture, Charlotte de Wichelns, Dennis food security water use rainfed farming irrigated farming The global demand for water in agriculture will increase over time with increasing population, rising incomes, and changes in dietary preferences. Increasing demands for water by industrial and urban users, and water for the environment will intensify competition. At the same time, water scarcity is increasing in several important agricultural areas. We explore several pathways for ensuring that sufficient food is produced in the future, while also protecting the environment and reducing poverty. We examine four sets of scenarios that vary in their focus on investments in rainfed agriculture and irrigation, and the role of international trade in adjusting for national disparities in water endowments. Rainfed agriculture holds considerable potential but requires adequate mechanisms to reduce inherent risks. Irrigation expansion is warranted in places where water infrastructure is underinvested such as Sub-Saharan Africa. In South Asia the scope for improving irrigation performance and water productivity is high. International trade can help alleviate water problems in water-scarce areas, subject to economic and political considerations. We examine also a regionally optimized scenario that combines investments in rainfed and irrigated agriculture with strategic trade decisions. Compared to 'business as usual', this scenario reduces the amount of additional water required to meet food demands by 2050 by 80%. Some of that water could be made available for the environment and other sectors. We conclude that there are sufficient land and water resources available to satisfy global food demands during the next 50 years, but only if water is managed more effectively in agriculture. 2010-04 2014-06-13T14:47:47Z 2014-06-13T14:47:47Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40495 en Limited Access Elsevier de Fraiture, Charlotte; Wichelns, Dennis. 2010. Satisfying future water demands for agriculture. Agricultural Water Management, 97(4):502-511. Special issue with contributions by IWMI authors. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2009.08.008 |
| spellingShingle | food security water use rainfed farming irrigated farming Fraiture, Charlotte de Wichelns, Dennis Satisfying future water demands for agriculture |
| title | Satisfying future water demands for agriculture |
| title_full | Satisfying future water demands for agriculture |
| title_fullStr | Satisfying future water demands for agriculture |
| title_full_unstemmed | Satisfying future water demands for agriculture |
| title_short | Satisfying future water demands for agriculture |
| title_sort | satisfying future water demands for agriculture |
| topic | food security water use rainfed farming irrigated farming |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40495 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fraiturecharlottede satisfyingfuturewaterdemandsforagriculture AT wichelnsdennis satisfyingfuturewaterdemandsforagriculture |