Efficient irrigation strengthens ecologic agriculture
An efficient use of water in agriculture is the most important factor to improve sustainability in areas where the resource is scarce. Technology is a crucial factor in the management of seeds and soil to increase food production.
Close to 78% of the water that goes into the atmosphere through agricultural evapotranspiration―the photosynthesis process through which the water in the plants evaporates―comes from the rain; the remaining 26 percent comes from irrigation waters. These data show that in areas where water is scarce, the productivity of the land may be increased by optimizing the use of the water resource through efficient irrigation systems. This is described in the study La infraestructura en el desarrollo de América Latina (Infrastructure in the Development of Latin America) (CAF, 2012).
The production of food that satisfy the daily diet of a person requires the conversion of some 3,000 liters of liquid water into vapor ―approximately one liter per calorie―, according to the United Nations' World Water Assessment Program (WWAP).
Improving the productivity of dry lands through seeds that are resistant to droughts and plagues, fertilizers, and especially the scientific management of humidity in the soil will be crucial technological factors to increase the production of food without increasing the demand for water.
To improve the sustainability and balance between demand and availability of water, the determinant factor is to increase productivity in agriculture. An increase of 35 percent could considerably reduce the consumption of water incrops, especially in low productivity areas. This may be achieved through cultivation methods and modalities, as well as agro-ecologic production of food that are understood in a comprehensive manner which takes into consideration the importance of the efficient management of water.
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