The Agricultural Water Footprint of Al-Qadisiyah Governorate, Southern Iraq

Abstract Rapid urbanization, pollution, and increasing water consumption together with climate change necessitated to process of more effective measurement, management, decision mechanisms on regional resources. The concept footprint (WF) is a parameter that has been introduced the scientific literature in recent years similar ecological carbon footprints. WF any field or product refers total volume resources are processed contaminated directly indirectly during production process. current work first study assessing discussing agricultural an Iraqi governorate by analyzing blue green WFs Qadisiyah governorate, southern Iraq for 2010-2020. Recently developed methodology used. evapotranspiration amounts were estimated crop requirement (CWR) option CROPWAT 8.0 software. statistical data including meteorological data, rainfall statistics, local coefficients, cultivation area, animal statistics have utilized. average annual 10 between 2010-2020 was determined be 1,315,201,621 Mm 3 /yr. largest water-consuming sector (54%). Cereal feed crops main component consumption. rice followed wheat primary comprising about 44% require supplied from rivers. Vegetable only 14% WF. 15% share used related broiler chickens (44%) 37% dairy cattle. area fertile land production. However, limited scarcity region restrict activities. sustainability freshwater could provided reducing contents. This expected contribute national authorities develop accurate irrigation management policies.