Water Productivity A Road to Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Saeed Nairizi President, ICID

Jan. 2015

Increasing Pressure on Fresh Water Availability

for Food Supply

1. Population Growth

2. Fresh Water Availability Decline

3. Climate Change

4. Industry Development

5. Environmental Concerns

6. Change in Water Consumption Pattern

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 20500

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

World Less developed regions

More developed regions Least developed countries

mil

lio

n

data UNDP Population Reference Bureau (2012 Revision)

Total Population by regions

The Decline of Water Availability in developing Countries

Source: World Bank 2002a.

Food Supply Dilemma

Estimated and projected number of undernourished people by region, 1991-2030

Global Agricultural Production

Rain fed Agriculture

60 %

Irrigated Agriculture

40 %

Evolution of cropland surface area (1961-2008)

(data FAO)

Anticipated Sources of Growth in Crop Production, 1997-2030

Developing Countries Food Self Sufficiency

91 % (at present)

86 % (in 2030)

FAO Reports :

What are the options ?

• Rain water productivity

• Agricultural water productivity

Rain water productivity

Improving and Upgrading the Management of

Dry Farming

Permanent Meadows & Pastures

Forest and Bush Lands

Gaps are large between farmer's actual yield and achievable yields for major rainfed cereal crops

Some Technical Solution for Rain Water

Productivity Enhancement

Soil moisture conservation technique Minimum to no-till system

Manure and mulching

Recycling city waste

Water harvesting Small furrows

Terracing and bunds

Small dams

Improving varieties and cropping pattern

Supplemental irrigation

• Crop yield enhancement

• Optimizing crop water requirement

• Irrigation water management

Agricultural Water Productivity

Progress in maize yields in tons/ha by region (1980 – 2009)

data Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Agro-Technical consideration

• Biotechnology practices

• Genetic Engineering approaches

Crop yield enhancement

Evapotransporation → Crop Water Requirement

Irrigation Water Management

• Irrigation Application Management

• Irrigation Water Losses Management

Irrigation application Management

1. Economical Considerations

Deficit irrigation

Cropping pattern

2. Technical Improvements

Irrigation system modernization

Land leveling

Canal lining

Water use

Non-Consumptive Use

Non-beneficial

Consumptive Use

Irrigation water losses Management

BeneficialRecoverabl

eNon-recoverable

Minimizing the Irrigation Water losses at farm level

Non-beneficial:

Minimize the Water evaporated or transpired for purposes other than

the intended use:

sub-surface micro irrigation method

Mulching or covering of soil surface

Weeding the unwanted vegetation

Non-recoverable

Reducing flows to:

saline groundwater sinks

deep aquifers that are not economically exploitable

the sea

High Evaporation

Sprinkler Irrigation

Low Evaporation

Sub surface micro irrigation

MANY THANKSFOR

YOUR ATTENTION