No Agriculture without Water
No Agriculture without Water Water for secure and viable agriculture
Why water is vital for food security
Water needs per person in litres per day
l/day and capita Essential Abundant Quality
2
4 *** Drinking 40 400 ** Domestic 1000 5000
- Food (Evapotranspiration)
Water use and food production
- – About 50% of accessible water resources are currently mobilized for human use
- – Agriculture represents 69% of all water use (85 to 95% in developing countries) but are the largest consumer
- – Irrigation represents less than 20% of cultivated land but contributes 40% to overall food production
Water withdrawal Agriculture 69 %
Industry 21 % Municipal 10 %
Municipal 3 % Agriculture 93 %
Water consumption Industry 4 %
Freshwater withdrawal for Agriculture % Agricultural withdrawal
No data 0-5 5-10 10–20 20–40 >40
Map showing agricultural water withdrawal as percentage of renewable water resource in 1998 by country, where withdrawals for agriculture are critically high (category 5) and indicative of water stress (category 4).
800 millions undernourished people % undernourished No data < 2.5 2.5–5 5–20 20–35 >35
Percentage of undernourished people by country (1997-1999). Prevalence of undernourishment
is measured by the share of a country's total population that is undernourished
Sources of growth in crop production
To meet the food demand between today and 2030 an increase in production of
about 50 % is needed. FAO estimates that for 93 developing countries this increase will come from:Yield increase 66% Arable Land Expansion 22% Cropping Intensity 12%
Irrigation efficiency and withdrawal: in 1998 and 2030
FAO estimates (for 93 developing countries) that in 2030:
- Irrigation efficiency is expected to improve from 38 to 42 %
- water withdrawal is expected to grow by about 14 percent
sub-Saharan Latin Near East/ South East 93 developing Africa America North Africa Asia Asia countries Irrigation efficiency (%)
1998
33
25
40
44
33
38 2030
37
25
53
49
34
42 Irrigation water withdrawals as a percentage of renewable water resources 1998
2
1
53
36
8
8 2030
3
2
58
41
8
9
No Agriculture without Water
New approaches in agricultural water management
Improving rainfed production
- Soil and water conservation techniques
- – Reduce run-off and increased water infiltration
- contour stripping, terracing, micro-basins
- – Increased soil moisture storage
- improve soil structure
- Crop selection
- Storage for supplemental irrigation
- – Tanks or ponds, groundwater
Improving water production
- Shift in cropping pattern (from rice to wheat)
- Increasing irrigation efficiency (60% water losses in irrigation)
- Water saving technologies and management
- Use of non-conventional water sources:
- treated waste water
- de-salinizated water
- Drainage
- at scheme level
- Protective to productive irrigation
- A supply-oriented to service-demand approach
- A centralised to a decentralised irrigation management
Empowering people:
Improving management
Irrigation modernization, moving from:
- Allocation of land and water resources to users (men and women)
- Power and responsibilities to the users (water use associations)
Improving management at farm level
- Improving productivity at farm level implies the following actions
- improving water use efficiency
- diversify c>This is done through:
- training and information
- investment in water saving technologies • improved market opportunities and credit.
Improving management and policies
- at national and international level
Reform of national water and land policies
- Ensuring fair and equitable access
- Secure water rights
• Water management at the river basin (upstream-downstream)
- Provide incentives to conserve water to reduce losses
- Recognising the full value while protecting the poor
- Regulations for protection of aquifers, rivers, lakes and wetlands (quality and quantity)
International agreements on trans-boundary water resources Investments
Investments and financing sustainability Us$/ha
Investment costs per ha 10000
Large scale developments 8000
Irrigation rehabilitation 6000
Rainfed/water harvesting 4000
Household irrigation Small holder irrigation 2000
Lowland development Near east Sub-Sahran Asia Latin Former and North Africa America soviet union
Africa
Include technical and institutional costs. Operation and maintenance cost are
No Agriculture without Water
Pro-poor and
affordable agriculture
water managementRole of water in poverty alleviation
- Raise food supply and cash income
- Reduced migration from rural areas to cities
• Irrigation allows for timely, secure increase in production without increasing the
land holding- Conditions – Affordable technologies
- – Local manufacturing capacity
- – Land, water and technology should be under farmer control
- – low operation and maintenance costs
- – Easy to install and to operate Pro-poor policies, actions and technoloies needed.
Case 1: Conservation Agriculture
Alternative forms of tillage prevents crust formation and maintains
an organic soil cover Reduced erosion and water losses- Traditional approaches in South America • Requires animal use and high management skills
Case 2: Water harvesting
Collecting of water in structures ranging from small furrows to
dams Allows farmers to conserve rainwater and direct it to crop
for increased food security in drought prone areas- Traditional approaches in arid and semi-arid countries
- High productivity
- Less risks
- Vulnerable to dry periods
- Requires water use groups
Example: Keita valley in Niger tree plantation with trenches
Case 3: Low-cost well drilling
Hand drilling technique from Asia helps farmers to improve their access to water
- Simple and manual
- Low cost
- Limited drilling depth
Case 4: Water lifting
Simple pumping technologies combined with improved surface water distribution techniques helps farmers to manage the water better and reduce losses
- Simple • Low costs
- No risk for groundwater overexploitation
- Requires time and cultural acceptance
Example: Treadle pumps From Asia to Africa
Case 5: Family-kit drip irrigation
Complete drip irrigation system for 50-2500 m2
household food security, income from high value crops and
major reduces in water lossesNo Agriculture without Water
Managing the
environmental and health
impacts of irrigated agricultureImpacts of irrigation
Salinization
Overuse and misuse of water in irrigated agriculture
deprive downstream users (inc. environment)
Poor management of irrigation and lack of sufficient drainage
waterlogging and salinity problems
Drawbacks of drainage
risk for flooding downstream and reduced groundwater recharge
Overuse of groundwater
falling groundwater levels Waterlogging
Health hazards
Mitigating of adverse effects On health and environment
- Water conservation
- Reuse of drainage water
- Treatment of drainage water
- Safe disposal of drainage water
- Reducing favorable conditions for vector-born and water- related diseases by:
- – improved management of irrigation systems
(decrease breeding sites) – regular maintenance of irrigation systems.
Prevention
- Prevention of water-borne and water-washed diseases can be done through:
- – Education , training, media campaigns
- – Improved drinking water supplies, sanitation and housing
- – Strict control over the wastewater effluent quality being discharged
- Problem: In many countries, treatment facilities are inadequate or lacking altogether.
Conclusions
• Water is an essential element to secure food production, but it
is not the only one;
- Development of land and water resources will need to be
much more strategic;
- Agriculture has to improve water productivity
- We have to empower the water users
• Agriculture has to shoulder its environmental responsibilities
- Investments are needed
Thank you !
World food day: http://www.fao.org/wfd/
Water service: http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/aglw/