2 - Increasing the efficiency of water use in crop production

Abstract

Agriculture is by far the largest user of water. Increasing the use efficiency of water is essential to sustainably provide food for humans and water for maintaining natural ecosystems. The production ecological approach presented in this chapter allows us to identify constraining factors in crop production that depress use efficiency of water and to determine intervention measures. Much of the additional water needed for world food production in 2050 can be obtained by improving agronomic practices, though expansion of agricultural land to capture rainwater will be inevitable.