WATER FOR FOOD AND FARMING Introduction

The demand for water for food production is rising rapidly. Although during the last 50 years food production met and even surpassed population growth, the forecast for the future shows a different picture. The combination of key scientific developments responsible for the green revolution, and large scale investment in water infrastructure such as dams and irrigation systems played a significant role in the success of meeting food demand during that period. However, today’s world is witness to an unprecedented demand for food brought on by rising populations and rising incomes in developing countries. We are now aware that many of the successes of the past came at the expense of the environment and equitable food distribution and still for some 800 million people food security is elusive. For many of the world’s poor water is not available or not accessible due to the lack of physical or institutional infrastructure. Moreover, a continuation of the current model of agricultural water management will have dire consequences on the environment and may not be appropriate to help alleviate poverty.