Irrigation
In large parts of the world agriculture without irrigation is impossible.
The challenge
Water is essential for agriculture but the challenge is to make sure that it is managed correctly. About sixty percent of the global wheat production is cultivated on irrigated arable lands. Without irrigation the world food supply would be considerably lower. But irrigation can have negative impacts such as overconsumption of water leading to water shortages for other sectors, salinity and the social impacts of dams.
The approach
FutureWater investigates how sustainable irrigated agriculture can be implemented or improved making sure that positive effects outweigh possible negative consequences. Using simulation models such as SWAP (Soil Water Atmosphere Plant), sometimes linked with satellite observations, many salinity and water related irrigation questions can be answered.
Example projects:
Futurewater:
Research and consultancy for a sustainable future of our water resources