Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?

Water productivity (WP) and water footprint (WFP) are popular concepts in research and discourses on water management. Yet there are concerns about their theoretical validity and practical value. This paper shows that the water production function, the concept with a sound theoretical foundation, is...

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Autores principales: Amarasinghe, Upali A., Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Informa UK Limited 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/58451
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author Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
author_browse Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
author_facet Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
author_sort Amarasinghe, Upali A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Water productivity (WP) and water footprint (WFP) are popular concepts in research and discourses on water management. Yet there are concerns about their theoretical validity and practical value. This paper shows that the water production function, the concept with a sound theoretical foundation, is the basis for WP. Total WFP is the reciprocal of WP. The practical value of WP and WFP depends on the context of water use and stress. Maximizing WP, not a panacea to all water problems, mainly suits arid rainfed areas. In other regions, economic and marginal WP for increasing overall production should take precedence in water management and policy decisions.
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spelling CGSpace584512025-06-17T08:23:38Z Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy? Amarasinghe, Upali A. Smakhtin, Vladimir U. water productivity water footprint water management water policy water use production costs crop yield irrigation water food production Water productivity (WP) and water footprint (WFP) are popular concepts in research and discourses on water management. Yet there are concerns about their theoretical validity and practical value. This paper shows that the water production function, the concept with a sound theoretical foundation, is the basis for WP. Total WFP is the reciprocal of WP. The practical value of WP and WFP depends on the context of water use and stress. Maximizing WP, not a panacea to all water problems, mainly suits arid rainfed areas. In other regions, economic and marginal WP for increasing overall production should take precedence in water management and policy decisions. 2014-11-10 2015-03-17T14:40:00Z 2015-03-17T14:40:00Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/58451 en Open Access Informa UK Limited Amarasinghe, Upali A.; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2014. Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy? Water International, 39(7):1000-1017. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2015.986631
spellingShingle water productivity
water footprint
water management
water policy
water use
production costs
crop yield
irrigation water
food production
Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?
title Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?
title_full Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?
title_fullStr Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?
title_full_unstemmed Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?
title_short Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?
title_sort water productivity and water footprint misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy
topic water productivity
water footprint
water management
water policy
water use
production costs
crop yield
irrigation water
food production
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/58451
work_keys_str_mv AT amarasingheupalia waterproductivityandwaterfootprintmisguidedconceptsorusefultoolsinwatermanagementandpolicy
AT smakhtinvladimiru waterproductivityandwaterfootprintmisguidedconceptsorusefultoolsinwatermanagementandpolicy