Water Conservation

Agricultural success hinges on many factors, the number one most common fear is the lack of fresh water. There is a direct correlation between hunger, poverty and water shortages.

Stretching the available water:

• Efficient Irrigation Technology: Shifting crops irrigated using flood irrigation, sprinkler and drip.  
• Advance Irrigation Management: Apply modern management methods to save water.
• Modest Crop Shift: Reduce percentage of lower-value, water-intense crops to higher-value, water-efficient crops.
• Smart Irrigation Scheduling: Using irrigation scheduling information for precise irrigation.

1. An estimated $60b was lost due to drought in 2012
2. Agriculture uses 70% of freshwater consumed
3. Water shortage is the major impact on food security
4. To grow enough food for one person requires 2,000 liters of water per day

Solutions:

1. Create infrastructure for training and knowledge sharing on modern irrigation techniques
2. Expand access to water technology – convert from flood to drip or sprinkler irrigation
3. Modernization of existing systems – eliminate weakage, evaporation
4. Incentives such as affordable credits for farmers to improve irrigation
5. Financial risk management mechanisms such as crop insurance