An overview of measures for securing water resources for irrigated crop production

Agriculture consumes the majority of the world's scarce fresh water supplies. Agronomical and political incentives may be used to optimize agricultural water resources and their usage. Reduce irrigation water loss in conveyance before it reaches the farm; choose water-efficient irrigation methods such as drip and segments and sub, which save 30–40% water as opposed to furrow irrigation; improve irrigation using plant and soil sensors and remote sensing-based models; and use deficit irrigation (DI) to increase water productive capacity. Other options include using 'virtual water' principles to ensure food supply to dry regions; reducing food, feed, and biofuel waste from post-harvest to the end consumer; changing food composition to less water-consuming products; and regulating irrigation water use through rationing, subsidies, or water pricing to support water-saving measures such as the use of dredge irrigation. The water-saving potential of various methods is examined and evaluated. When compared to other methods, reducing food waste and losing irrigation water from the conveyance source to the farm both have a large potential for water savings. How the measures are chosen will be determined by the local circumstances, which is ultimately a political decision.