Sustainable Water Use in Agriculture: A Review of Worldwide Research
Unknown authors
Abstract
Water is widely considered as the most important resource for long-term agricultural development.Irrigated land will be added to as residential and industrial demand increases and agricultural freshwater supplies will be transferred to do so.Furthermore, crops consume less than 66% of irrigation water, which is a very low efficiency.Arid-region agriculture prioritizes irrigation water conservation.Many efforts have been made over time to enact policies aimed at improving water efficiency in response to water scarcity and climate change, on the assumption that better management may achieve more with less water.Increased water allocation and greater irrigation water efficiency are typical components of improved management.In comparison to the latter, the former is mostly determined by irrigation technique, environmental conditions, and water application schedule.Sustainable water management in agriculture includes soil management, irrigation, fertilizer application, pest and disease control, and environmental preservation.Water resources for agriculture are limited due to socioeconomic demands and climate change.Rural community social behavior, economic constraints, and the institutional and legal context all have an impact on the adoption of sustainable water management in the Mediterranean.Depending on these criteria, certain solutions may be more likely to be implemented.Changes in irrigation application, soil and plant practices, water price, reusing treated wastewater, farmer participation in water management, and capacity building are all approaches to achieve sustainable water management in Southern European agriculture.