Producing more food with less water is crucial amid global soil drying and increasing water scarcity. Several proven approaches enable higher yields while conserving water resources:
1.
-
: Delivers water directly to plant roots, minimizing evaporative losses and increasing water-use efficiency (WUE) significantly12.
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: Pipes installed below the soil deliver water precisely, reducing surface evaporation and saving up to 50% of water compared to traditional systems31.
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: Use soil and weather sensors for real-time data, ensuring irrigation only when and where needed, thus reducing water waste341.
2.
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: Adding organic matter or mulch to the soil surface reduces evaporation and increases water retention, raising both yield and WUE25.
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Cover Crops & No-Till Practices: Covering soil between harvests and minimizing tillage enhances soil organic matter, improves water infiltration, and retains moisture for subsequent crops6.
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: Growing drought-resistant or climate-adapted crop varieties sustains yields with lower water inputs47.
3.
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: Remote sensing, soil moisture monitoring, and evapotranspiration measurements help farmers apply water exactly where and when it’s needed, potentially reducing water use by 20–30%489.
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: Monitoring weather and plant conditions to optimize irrigation timing prevents overwatering and losses7.
4.
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: Utilizing treated wastewater for irrigation (common in arid regions like Israel and California) reduces pressure on groundwater supplies and increases overall water productivity4.
| Technology / Practice | Water Saved (%) | Yield Effect | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drip Irrigation | Up to 50% | Maintained or increased | 31 |
| Smart Irrigation | 20–30% | Maintained or increased | 341 |
| Mulch & Crop Residue | Increased retention | Up to +62% yield | 25 |
| Precision Agriculture | Up to 30% | Maintained or + | 489 |
| Recycled Water | Replaces 50–80% | Maintained | 4 |
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: Large-scale recycling projects can provide major portions of irrigation needs with minimal yield impacts4.
-
: Boosting organic matter and reducing compaction both enhance water infiltration and retention610.
-
: Focusing on crops with naturally high WUE or adapting planting patterns based on seasonal forecasts improves efficiency7.
Conclusion
Modernizing agricultural practices—particularly through advanced irrigation technology, soil management, crop selection, and precision monitoring—can dramatically increase the amount of food produced per unit of water. These techniques are essential for sustaining food production under climate-induced soil drying and growing water scarcity worldwide231.
- https://www.doktar.com/en/blog/digital-agtech/water-conservation-strategies-for-sustainable-agriculture/
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00103/full
- https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/knowledge/economics/water-efficiency-canadian-agriculture
- https://www.arad.co.il/blog/5-smart-agriculture-strategies-to-turn-less-water-into-more-food/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6390371/
- https://www.farmers.gov/blog/doing-more-with-less-water
- https://www.green.earth/blog/10-agricultural-techniques-for-water-conservation
- https://www.wsp.com/en-ca/insights/making-every-drop-count-redefining-water-efficiency-in-agriculture
- https://ensia.com/features/how-to-grow-more-food-with-less-water/
- https://krakensense.com/blog/improving-water-through-sustainable-agriculture
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/water-use-efficiency
- https://www.unwater.org/publications/progress-water-use-efficiency-2021-update
- https://connectedcrops.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/301.full_.pdf
- https://futurepump.com/the-role-of-water-management-in-sustainable-farming/
- https://www.gwp.org/globalassets/global/gwp-c-files/water-use-efficiency-in-agriculture-training-manual-2020.pdf
- https://www.wwfbalticfarmer.org/farming-practices/water-management/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-use_efficiency
- https://watercalculator.org/news/articles/diet-uses-water-9-tips-cut-back/
- https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/finance-investing/naturevest/sustainable-agriculture-water/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969722080950
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