WATER SUPPLY

WATER QUALITY

WATER MANAGEMENT

WATER and FOOD PRODUCTION

- Challenges for the Future -

Brent Paterson, P. Ag.Executive Director

Irrigation and Farm Water DivisionAlberta Agriculture and Rural

Development

Presentation to the Canadian Water SummitJune 28, 2012

Calgary, Alberta

Future World Food Requirements

World food requirements are expected to double in

the next 40 years.

World Population Growth

Future World Food Requirements

Per Capita Food Consumption

Shift Towards More Animal Protein

The long-term ability to feed the world’s growing population will increasingly depend on:

An ever-shrinking land base; and

Increased competition for limited water supplies.

World Food Production

Food and Politics Sharp increases in food prices due to

world shortages. July to September, 2010 wheat prices rose

by 60-80%.

The “Arab Spring” uprisings were linked to discontent over food prices.

Food demand is expected to increase dramatically.

700

900

800

1000

1100

90-9279-81 00-0295-97 05-0769-71 08 09 10

Years

Peop

le

(million

s)

Undernourished People in the World

FAO – World Food and Agriculture in Review 2010

Asia and PacificSub-Saharan AfricaLatin America and Car-ibbeanNear East and North AfricaDeveloped Regions

Undernourished People in 2010 (millions)

578

239

5337 19

Total: 925 million

Food Production

About 60% of the world’s food is produced on rainfed agricultural lands.

Significant production increases on rainfed land is not expected.

Irrigated Food ProductionIrrigation makes up only 17% of the world’s

agriculture land base.

However, it produces about 40% of the world’s food.

Up to 80% of future food requirements will need

to be met by irrigation.

Irrigation AdvantagesSignificantly increased production

compared to rainfed agriculture.

More reliable production – less risk of crop failure.

Increased diversification and value-added processing.

Future of Irrigation in Developing Countries

California

Pakistan

Increasing Productivity

Wheat Yield = 6 t/haWater Productivity = 1.3 kg/m3 Wheat Yield = 2 t/ha

Water Productivity = 0.5 kg/m3

Molden et al: Dialogue Working Paper 1, 2001

If developing countries improve their irrigation efficiency and crop yields,

irrigation expansion would not be required.

Increased international support is required for the development and management of water in developing countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has considerable potential to develop water storage and irrigation systems that will significantly increase food production.

Projected Water Scarcity in 2025

Physical water scarcity

Economic water scarcity

Little or no water scarcity

Seckler et al, 2002

Many countries will be forced to abandon their policy of food self-sufficiency because of water shortages.

Alberta is positioned to play a major role in helping meet

future world food needs.

Alberta’s Potential

Large agricultural land base; 20 million ha.

Relatively small population; 3.5 million

Strong dryland agriculture; and

World-class irrigation system.

Agricultural Land

Irrigation

Current Irrigationin Alberta

Irrigation Districts• 560,000 ha

Private Irrigation• 120,000 ha

Increasing Alberta’s Irrigation Productivity

Primary Production

Value-Added Processing

Increasing the Productivity of Irrigation Water

1950 19701960 20151980 1990 2000 2010

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

125

5

15

10

25

20

30

35

40

Barl

ey Y

ield

(to

nn

es/h

a)

Irrigatio

n W

ate

r (millim

ete

rs)

Irrigation Water

Crop Yield

900 mm

380 mm

2.5 t/ha

6.5 t/ha

11 t/ha

Increase Food Processing Industries

Canola

Sugar Beets

Meat

Potatoes

Water Use Efficiency

Irrigation Conveyance Systems

Open Channels

Buried Pipelines

Conveyance Works>8000 km• 54% Open channel• 46% Buried pipeline

On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency

1965 34% 1980 58% 1990 60% 1995 65% 2010 74% Future 90+

%

Woods – 2010; Harms – 2012 (ARD)

World average is about 43%

Climate Change The agricultural industry has always

adapted to changing climatic conditions on the prairies.

However, accelerated changes in our climate will require faster adaptation than ever before.

We are working with the agricultural industry to assess adaptation strategies.

Water Quality

Finding The Balance

Environment Economic

Society

Calgary

Lethbridge

Medicine Hat

Primary source sites

Secondary source sites

Return flow sites

Irrigation District Water Quality

• 2006-2007• 2011-2015

86 SitesSampled 4 times/year

Nutrients Metals Ions Ammonia Aluminum (Al) pH Nitrate-Nitrogen Antimony (Sb) Alkalinity Nitrite-Nitrogen Arsenic (As) Calcium, Dissolved Total (Kjeldahl) Nitrogen Barium (Ba) Magnesium, Dissolved Dissolved Phosphorus Beryllium (Be) Sodium, Dissolved Total Phosphorus Boron (B) Potassium, Dissolved Cadmium (Cd) Sodium Adsorption Ratio Biological Chromium (Cr) Hardness (as CaCO3) Total coliforms Cobalt (Co) Alkalinity, Total (as CaCO3) Fecal coliforms Copper (Cu) Hydroxide E.coli Iron (Fe) Carbonate Chlorophyll-A Lead (Pb) Bicarbonate Lithium (Li) Chloride Physical Manganese (Mn) Sulphate Total Suspended Solids Mercury (Hg) Ion Balance Conductivity Molybdenum (Mo) Temperature Nickel (Ni) Selenium (Se) Silver (Ag) Strontium (Sr) Tellurium (Te) Thallium (Tl) Titanium (Ti) Uranium (U) Vanadium (V) Zinc (Zn)

Analyses – 150 parameters

Herbicide Insecticide Fungicide2,4-D DICLOFOP-METHYL a-BCH ISOFENPHOS BENALAXYL

2,4-DB DIMETHACHLOR ALDRIN LINDANE BUPRIRIMATE

ALACHLOR DIPHENAMID alpha-ENDOSULFAN METHOXYCHLOR CHLORONEB

ALLIDOCHLOR EPTC b-BHC MIREX CHLOZOLINATE

ATRAZINE ETHALFLURALIN BIFENTHRIN o,p-DDE ETRIDIAZOLE

BENFLURALIN ETHOFUMESATE BROMOPHOS-ETHYL o,p-DDT PROCYMIDONE

BENZOYLPROP-ETHYL FENOXAPROP CHLORMEPHOS OXYCHLORDANE QUINTOZENE

BROMACIL FLAMPROP-ISOPROPYL CHLORPYRIFOS p,p-DDT

BROMOXYNIL FLAMPROP-METHYLCHLORPYRIFOS-METHYL PHORATE Acaricide

BUTACHLOR IMAZETHAPYR cis-CHLORDANE PIRIMICARB BROMOPROPYLATE

BUTRALIN MCPA cis-PERMETHRIN PIRIMPHOS-ETHYL TETRADIFON

BUTYLATE MECOPROP d-HCH PIRIMPHOS-METHYL TETRASUL

CHLORTHAL-DIMETHYL METOLACHLOR DIAZINON pp DDD (TDE)

CHLORTHIAMID op-DDD DICHLORVOS pp-DDE BactericideCLOMAZONE PICLORAM DIELDRIN SULFOTEP NITRAPYRIN

CLOPYRALID PROMETON DIMETHOATE SULPROPHOS

CYCLOATE PROPHAM DIOXATHION t-CHLORDANE NematicideDESMETRYNE PROPYZAMIDE ENDRIN TERBUFOS DICHLOFENTHION

DICAMBA QUINCLORAC ETHIONtrans-HEPTACHLOR-EPOXIDE

DICHLOBENIL SIMAZINE ETRIMFOS trans-PERMETHRIN Growth RegDICHLORPROP TERBACIL FENCHLOROPHOS FLUMETRALIN

TERBUTRYNE FENTHION

TRIALLATE FONOFOS

TRIFLURALIN HEPTACHLOR

Analyses – 150 parameters