No Agriculture without Water

1. @ photo Arthus-Bertrand No Agriculture without Water Water for secure and viable agriculture

2. Why water is vital for food security Water needs per person in litres per day

3. Water use and food production • About 50% of accessible water resources are currently mobilized for human use • Agriculture represents 69% of all water use (85 to 95% in developing countries) • Irrigation represents less than 20% of cultivated land but contributes 40% to overall food production

4. Freshwater withdrawal for Agriculture % Agricultural withdrawal No data 0-5 5-10 10–20 20–40 >40

5. 800 millions undernourished people % undernourished No data < 2.5 2.5–5 5–20 20–35 >35

6. Will there be enough water to produce the food needed to feed the world? An increase in food production of about 50% is needed for 2030

7. Need for improved water use efficiency Water withdrawals is expected to grow by about 14 percent in developing countries by 2030

8. No Agriculture without Water New approaches in agricultural water management

9. Improving rain fed water productivity • Soil and water conservation techniques • Reduce run-off and increase water infiltration • Increase soil moisture storage • Selection of Water Efficient Crops and adoption Cropping Plans • Storage for supplemental irrigation • Tanks or ponds, groundwater

10. Improving Irrigation water productivity • Increasing irrigation efficiency • Water saving technologies and management • Introduction Water efficient crops (e.g. shift rice to wheat) • Use of non-conventional water sources: • treated waste water • de-salinizated water • Drainage and Flood control

11. Improving water management at scheme level Empowering people: • Power and responsibilities to the users (water use associations) • Allocation of land and water resources to users (men and women) • Irrigation modernization, moving from: • Protective to productive irrigation • A supply-oriented to service-demand approach • A centralised to a decentralised irrigation management

12. Improving water management at farm level • Improving productivity at farm level implies the following actions: • improving water use efficiency • diversify crops • This is done through: • training and information (technical advice on water management) • investment in water saving technologies • improved market opportunities and credit

13. Supporting policies and regulations -at national and international level • Reform of national water and land policies • Ensuring fair and equitable access to water • Secure water rights • Water management at the river basin (upstream-downstream) • Provide incentives to conserve water and reduce losses • Recognising the full value while protecting the poor • Regulations for protection of aquifers, rivers, lakes and wetlands (quality and quantity) • International agreements on trans-boundary water resources • Investments

14. Investments and financing sustainability Investment costs per ha Include technical and institutional costs. Operation and maintenance cost are estimated to be 10 % of the investment costs

15. No Agriculture without Water Pro-poor and affordable agriculture water management

16. Role of water in poverty alleviation • Raise food supply and cash income • Reduced migration from rural areas to cities • Irrigation allows for timely, secure increase in production without increasing the land holding • Conditions • Affordable technologies • Local manufacturing capacity • Land, water and technology should be under farmer control • low operation and maintenance costs • Easy to install and to operate Pro-poor policies, actions and technologies are needed

17. Empowering Women in Water Resources management • Improved access to water for household use and food production (fruit and vegetables) • Improve household food security and health • Ensure women participation in water users groups • Training of women in effective water use and income generating activities

18. Case 1: Conservation Agriculture Alternative forms of tillage prevents crust formation and maintains an organic soil cover Reduced erosion and water losses Example: South America

19. Case 2: Water harvesting Collecting of water in structures ranging from small furrows to dams Allows farmers to conserve rainwater and direct it to crop for increased food security in drought prone areas Example: Keita valley in Niger tree plantation with trenches

20. Case 3: Low-cost well drilling Hand drilling technique helps farmers to improve their access to water Example: From Africa

21. Case 4: Water lifting Simple pumping technologies combined with improved surface water distribution techniques helps farmers to manage the water better and reduce losses Example: Treadle pumps From Asia to Africa

22. Case 5: Family-kit drip irrigation Complete drip irrigation system for 50-2500 m2 household food security, income from high value crops and major reduction in water losses

23. No Agriculture without Water Managing the environmental and health impacts of irrigated agriculture

24. Overuse and misuse of water in irrigated agriculture deprive downstream users (inc. environment) Poor management of irrigation and lack of sufficient drainage waterlogging and salinity problems Drawbacks of drainage risk for flooding downstream and reduced groundwater recharge Overuse of groundwater falling groundwater levels Waterlogging Health hazards Salinization Impacts of irrigation

25. Mitigating of adverse effects On health and environment • Water conservation • Reuse of drainage water • Treatment of drainage water • Safe disposal of drainage water • Reducing favorable conditions for vector-born and water-related diseases by: • improved management of irrigation systems (decrease breeding sites) • regular maintenance of irrigation systems.

26. Prevention • Prevention of water-borne and water-washed diseases can be done through: • Education , training, media campaigns • Improved drinking water supplies, sanitation and housing • Strict control over the wastewater effluent quality being discharged • Problem: In many countries, treatment facilities are inadequate or lacking altogether.

27. Conclusions Water is an essential element to secure food production, but it is not the only one • Development of land and water resources will need to be much more strategic; • Re-adjust balance between formal irrigation and pro-poor water management; • Agriculture has to improve water productivity • We have to empower the water users • Agriculture has to shoulder its environmental responsibilities • Investments are needed

28. Thank you ! World food day: http://www.fao.org/wfd/ Water service: http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/aglw/