No Agriculture without Water @ photo Arthus-Bertrand (1 min, photos from Pivot irrigation in Jordan and vegetable garden in Burkina Faso) Ladies and Gentlemen. One of the major questions in the future is whether there will be sufficient freshwater to satisfy the growing needs of agricultural and non-agricultural users. Agriculture already accounts for about 70 percent of the freshwater withdrawals in the world and is usually seen as the main factor behind the increasing global scarcity of freshwater. The presentation is divided in four parts: The first “ Water for secure and viable agriculture” – Presents the state of the worlds water resources and the use in agriculture, the importance of water for food security, and the FAO estimates on how to meet the future food demands. After this part we will make a short brake in the presentation to give you the opportunity to raise questions. The second part addresses “New approaches in agricultural water management” The third section focus on “ Pro-poor and affordable agricultural water management” And finally the fourth section puts the emphasis on “Managing the environmental and health impacts of irrigated agriculture” Water for secure and viable agriculture

Why water is vital for food security Water needs per person in litres per day l/day and capita Essential Abundant Quality Drinking 2 4 *** Domestic 40 400 ** Food (Evapotranspiration) 1000 5000 * (2min, Table WHO) Human, animal and vegetal life is not possible without water. The basic water needs of humans and animals are relatively little and it is agriculture which claims a very large amount of water. However, humans and animals require a great amount of food and, as I already mentioned before, it is its production that requires a large amount of water. This table sows the daily needs of water per person in litres an the requirements of quality and possibilities for recycling Every person needs 2-4 litres per day for drinking. For domestic use the essential to abundant range is from 40 to 400 litres per day, were the uses are higher in cities than the rural areas. However, the water required to produce our daily food is considerable higher, essential requirements are 1000 litres per day but varies between 2000 -5000 litres depending on our dietary preferences and in comparison to the other users, water for food is consumed, through evapotranspiration.

Water use and food production About 50% of accessible water resources are currently mobilized for human use Agriculture represents 69% of all water use (85 to 95% in developing countries) but are the largest consumer Irrigation represents less than 20% of cultivated land but contributes 40% to overall food production Water withdrawal Agriculture 69 % Industry 21 % Municipal 10 % 3 % 93 % Water consumption 4 % (2min) What is the situation? Is the world really running out of water ? Although in purely physical terms, only 8% of the world’s freshwater running in the rivers and infiltrating into the aquifers are withdrawn for agriculture, cities and industries, it is estimated that about 50% of what could be called “reasonably accessible” water resources are already mobilised for human use. Not all water can be captured in an economic way as it is flowing in remote rivers or during seasonal floods. Furthermore, some of the water resources must be left to follow its natural flow to safeguard the aquatic ecosystems. As we can see in the graph, agriculture represents 69% of all water withdrawal at world level and for most developing countries it reaches levels of 85 to 95%. Municipal water withdrawal amounts to 10 % and Industry to 21 % on a global average. The second graph shows that agriculture consumes about 93 % of the total consumption, as a major part of the water withdrawn for cities and industries are returned to rivers and aquifers. However, the water used for domestic and industrial purposes is returned with a reduced quality, but can be reused or recycled if treated adequately. Important to point out is that Irrigated agriculture today, representing less than 20% of the cultivated land produces 40 % of the world food supplies and almost 60 % of cereal production.

Freshwater withdrawal for Agriculture % Agricultural withdrawal No data 0-5 5-10 10–20 20–40 >40 (2 min, Map AQUASTAT) Today’s situation of withdrawal of renewable water resources for agriculture. Global totals and averages mask reality, because water management questions are generally addressed at local level. Data by country already give a better picture, although in large countries the national totals and averages still hide enormous regional differences. In addition, there are large variations in time, due to seasonal variations and extreme periods with droughts and /or floods, which does not show up in long-term national averages. The Figure shows the volume of water diverted for agriculture as percentage of total renewable water resources, which indicates human pressure on water resources. In general, it is considered that countries using more than 20% of their water are water scarce because at that level the lack of water becomes a constraint to economic development. Many countries already use more than 40 % of their resources. Not surprisingly, these countries are located in the most arid regions, where needs are important and water is scarce. Near East, North Africa and parts of Asia are subject to water stress, contrary to the comparative abundance of water resources in Latin America, and the low percentage of irrigated agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, where a number of countries have not yet had the opportunity and the finances to develop their irrigation potential. Overall, the potential for expansion of irrigated agriculture is still important for increasing production in those countries where insufficient or erratic rainfall constrains rainfed agriculture. Yet, in an increasing number of countries and regions, irrigated agriculture has already reached its limits. An extreme case is Egypt were all cropland is irrigated. And in the most critical regions, increasing demand from the domestic and industrial sectors has already result in a decrease in irrigated agriculture. Map showing agricultural water withdrawal as percentage of renewable water resource in 1998 by country, where withdrawals for agriculture are critically high (category 5) and indicative of water stress (category 4).

800 millions undernourished people (3min, data from the state of food insecurity) Nearly 1 000 million people currently live in absolute poverty, with incomes of less than US$1 per day. Most of these people suffer from chronic hunger. Since the 1960s, global nutrition has consistently improved, providing more food per capita and today, enough food can be produced to feed the whole world population. The shift from a physical shortage of food to the present situation has been possible through a combination of high yielding seeds, irrigation, plant nutrition and pest control. In this process, large quantities of water were appropriated for agriculture. Although the number of people going hungry has declined by about 5 percent since the early 1990s, it is estimated that almost 800 million still go hungry in the developing countries and some 30 million in other countries. As populations increase and more people move from rural to urban areas, the task of reducing hunger will become even more difficult than it is today. Important to point out is that under nourishment is caused by lack of access to food, not because of lack of available food. The map shows that the nutritional conditions does not always correlate with water scarcity. For example, the most water scarce region of the world: Near East/North Africa, is nutritionally relatively well off and looking forward to a future where it will earn foreign exchange from manufacturing and services while increasingly depending on imports for its food security. Many countries in the humid tropics have a poor nutritional status that can hardly be attributed to lack of water (Indonesia, Vietnam, Central Africa). Where the nutritional map is dark brown, war has devastated the countryside. War takes a terrible toll on rural people. On the other hand, the map also nicely shows the importance of water for food security. Without massive investments in water development and irrigation, countries like India, China, Mexico, or Egypt would show a much darker picture, and perhaps there would be internal conflicts because of hunger. % undernourished No data < 2.5 2.5–5 5–20 20–35 >35 Percentage of undernourished people by country (1997-1999). Prevalence of undernourishment is measured by the share of a country's total population that is undernourished

Sources of growth in crop production To meet the food demand between today and 2030 an increase in production of about 50 % is needed. FAO estimates that for 93 developing countries this increase will come from: (3 min, data from AT2030) Will there be enough water to produce the food needed to feed the world? Yes! FAO has studied the trendd of long-term developments, world –wide (Agriculture towards 2030). The estimated projections are: The world crop production is expected to rise over the 34 year period from 1997 to 2030 by 55 percent, against 126 percent over the preceding 34 years period. The increment in developing countries is expected to be higher, 67 percent for the future, against 191 percent in the past. The nature of the demand will also change as incomes rise and urbanization continues. The urban population is expected to increase from 43 percent of the world population in 1990 to 61 percent by 2030. As incomes rise, there will be a shift first from maize and tuber crops to rice, or from rice to wheat. At the same time, there will be a shift in preference from cereals to meat and fish, with increasing demand for maize and other coarse grains as animal feed. Although net food imports into the developing countries will increase, most of the increasing demand in those countries will be met by increased local production. This increase in demand will be meet in three ways: by increased yields, by expanding the arable land area, and by increasing the frequency with which the land it is cropped. The chart here shows the share for sources in crop growth for the developing countries. The FAO study estimates that in 2030 irrigated land is expected to account for 38 percent of the total increase in arable land and for over 70 % of the increase in cereal production.

Irrigation efficiency and withdrawal: in 1998 and 2030 FAO estimates (for 93 developing countries) that in 2030: - Irrigation efficiency is expected to improve from 38 to 42 % water withdrawal is expected to grow by about 14 percent 1998 33 25 40 44 33 38 2030 37 25 53 49 34 42 1998 2 1 53 36 8 8 2030 3 2 58 41 8 9 Irrigation efficiency (%) Irrigation water withdrawals as a percentage of renewable water resources sub-Saharan Africa Latin America Near East/ North Africa South Asia East 93 developing countries (1 min) FAO assessed the current irrigation efficiency and withdrawals and the future realistically expected irrigation efficiency and withdrawals in 2030: As an average for these 93 major developing countries, the irrigation efficiency is expected to grow from 38 to 42 percent. However, there are major regional differences, higher efficiencies are reached in the water-scarce regions, while water-rich regions are not particularly motivated to increase their water use efficiency. Totalizing the country data, it is found that irrigation water withdrawal in 93 developing countries is expected to grow, from 1996 to 2030, by about 14 percent, which is much less than during the previous 30 years. Food production itself will have to grow much more to satisfy the effective demand of a world of 8.5 billion people.

No Agriculture without Water The second part “New approaches in agricultural water management” focus on FAO’s role in promoting technologies, management and policies that is needed for securing the water for food production. Apart from improvements in crop yields, irrigation efficiency and soil and water conservation techniques, it may be the non-technical interventions that play a greater role. While “ more crop per drop” is a general objective, it is often translated by individual farmer as “ more money per drop”. “More jobs per drop” might be the target of community leaders looking for more livelihoods per drop. New approaches in agricultural water management

Improving rainfed production Soil and water conservation techniques Reduce run-off and increased water infiltration contour stripping, terracing, micro-basins Increased soil moisture storage Increased soil and rooting depth improve soil structure Crop selection Storage for supplemental irrigation Tanks or ponds, groundwater (3 min) Looking on the technological aspects there are several measures for improving rainfed production. Soil and water conservation techniques include reduction of run-off and increase of water infiltration in the root zone. by reducing run-off, through contour stripping, terracing and the construction of micro-basins and small dams. by increased Soil moisture storage, through increased Soil and Rooting depth and improved soil structure (conservation Agriculture) Crop selection, selecting crops with deeper rooting systems and crops that requires less water for the same nutrition value. By storing runoff in tanks or dams from rainy periods for use during dry spells for supplementary irrigation its another important way to avoid devastating effects of sudden droughts. It is practised in many regions , but are relatively costly. However, they have the advantage of greatly reducing the risk of small and non-existing harvests as a result of droughts. Storage can be in tanks, ponds, cisterns and earth dams. Groundwater is also a form of storage were it is used in conjunction with surface water to ensure the water supply. However, in these cases it is important to control the water table or to adapt pricing mechanism.

Improving water production Shift in cropping pattern (from rice to wheat) Increasing irrigation efficiency (60% water losses in irrigation) - Water saving technologies and management Use of non-conventional water sources: -treated waste water -de-salinizated water Drainage (3 min, photo from Sri Lanka) As already said the major increase in food production will come from improved water efficiency in irrigated agriculture. Surface irrigation, is currently by far the most common technique since it doesn’t imply the use of sophisticated hydraulic equipment. It is particularly used in traditional irrigation and by small holders. It is expected that this trend will continue over the next 30 years. On average 60% of the water withdrawn for irrigation is loosed through channel leakage, seepage and evaporation although some of the lost water reaches rivers or aquifers. On average 40 % is effectively consumed by the crop. Drip irrigation and sub-surface irrigation are examples of lozalised irrigation is examples of an increasingly popular form of irrigation in which efficiency is maximized because water is applied only to the place where it is needed and little is wasted. For some countries it is expected that a change in cropping pattern will take place with considerable implications for the irrigation water requirements. In China, for example, a substantial shift from rice to wheat production is expected: Irrigation water requirements for rice are usually twice those of wheat. The major factor to reduce the amount of water per hectare is an increase in water use efficiency, produce the same (or more) amount of crop while applying less water (reducing seepage losses, reducing evaporation by avoiding mid-day irrigation, weed control, irrigation frequency) as well as crop selection. Treated waste water from farms, industries and urban areas can be used to irrigate, however respecting health rules and regulations. Water scarce countries, rely partly on water from unconventional sources. Egypt, for example, re-uses more than 8 cubic km of drainage to irrigate down-stream plots, which is about 14% of the total amount of fresh water resources available (58 cubic km). (OPTIONAL) However, the contributions expected from de-salinated water are very limited as the costs are very high. There are exceptional cases where cash-crops are irrigated with de-salinizated sea-water.(Potatos I Cyprus). To maintain favourable moisture conditions for optimal crop growth and to control soil salinity and water tables, drainage is often necessary on irrigated land. It is estimated that around 15 % of irrigated land is equipped with drainage, but that another 50 % is in need of drainage. The reason for that drainage has not been developed sufficiently is the lack of recognition of the benifts. (costs around 20-1000 US$ per ha)

Irrigation modernization, moving from: Improving management -at scheme level Irrigation modernization, moving from: Protective to productive irrigation A supply-oriented to service-demand approach A centralised to a decentralised irrigation management (2 min) To be improved by Martin To improve irrigation performances a change in the way irrigation is perceived and managed is necessary. The time of what some call “protective or social irrigation” is slowly moving out. The need to ensure sustainability and improve productivity requires a more productive vision of irrigation, where providing irrigation water is not any more seen as a supply driven exercise, but where it should be seen as a service delivered to farmers. Decentralisation and irrigation management transfer of the irrigation systems from the state-run institutions to the farmers organisation has been identified as the most viable solution for the sustainability and increased productivity of the irrigation systems. Therefore there is a need for policies that empowers people, the farmers, both men and women at the farm and scheme level. However, for irrigation management transfer to be successful, transfer should not include only the responsibilities and duties, but also the power, and the legal mechanisms to enforce sanctions against user not complying with the rules. Examples of good cases are: The South African Water Act of 1998, were Catchment Management Agencies have been formed with the participation of both poor men and women. In Turkey, the management of irrigation systems has been almost entirely handed over from government to farmer associations. In Mexico, the management of more than 85 percent of the 3.3 million hectares of publicly irrigated land has been taken over by farmers’ associations, most of which are now financially independent. Empowering people: Allocation of land and water resources to users (men and women) Power and responsibilities to the users (water use associations)

Improving management at farm level Improving productivity at farm level implies the following actions improving water use efficiency diversify crops This is done through: training and information investment in water saving technologies improved market opportunities and credit. To be improved by Martin Interventions at farm level include Improve farm water use efficiency and productivity. Usually this requires an integrated approach including an important element of training and information, and investment in water saving technologies, improved access to credit and markets for higher value crops.

Improving management and policies -at national and international level Reform of national water and land policies Ensuring fair and equitable access Secure water rights Water management at the river basin (upstream-downstream) Provide incentives to conserve water to reduce losses Recognising the full value while protecting the poor Regulations for protection of aquifers, rivers, lakes and wetlands (quality and quantity) International agreements on trans-boundary water resources Investments (1,5 min) To allow the change from state-run institutions to the farmers organisation there is a need for a reform of national policies to make sure that they are supported with government policies. National policies should: Ensure fair and equitable access to land and water resources Secure rights to water That optimize the water use at a river basin level, for all the users, for cities, industries, agriculture as well as the environment and fisheries and electricity production. This includes also the equitable access between upstream and downstream users. The policies should provide incentives to conserve water to reduce losses Recognizing the full value of water wile protecting the poor. An example is tiered pricing systems, were it becomes more expensive for higher withdrawals, which have shown to give substantial savings. Regulations for protection of aquifers, rivers, lakes and wetlands both in terms of quality and quantity is needed International agreements on rivers that cross more than one country are needed for equitable access and conflict resolving. Policies are need that attract investments for irrigation to increase yields and cash for the farmers

Investments and financing sustainability Investment costs per ha ( 2min, source: AGLTC) To improve How will the earlier explained target be reached? To improve crop production and food security major investments are needed. Access to credit is also a major condition for improved demand management and increased water productivity. Techniques exist to reduce to a few percent losses in irrigation (localised irrigation systems), but they are adapted only to certain crops. Making these techniques available to the farmers requires modern, flexible irrigation networks, reliable irrigation water delivery services, trained support staff and a dynamic sector of manufacturers and dealers. Cyprus and Israel are two countries where localised irrigation have revolutionised agriculture. It is estimated that in the coming 25 years major investment is required to modernize and expand the irrigation infrastructure. As irrigation is expensive, and Governments have increasing difficulties in financing such large infrastructures while, at the same time, external aid is reducing investments have to be mobilized through private / public sector partnership The graph shows the average development cost in US$ per ha for different irrigation schemes and by region. As you can see there are large differences between the regions. On average the costs are higher for the fully equipped irrigation systems and logically lower for less equipped water collecting systems Average developments cost for large schemes in Asia is 4000 US$ per ha, whereas in Sub-Saharan Africa it is 10 000 US$ per ha. Include technical and institutional costs. Operation and maintenance cost are estimated to be 10 % of the investment costs

No Agriculture without Water (1 min) (Photo: farmer using hand-operated pump in China to draw up water from canal. An example of appropriate technology) Pro-poor and affordable agricultural water management” illustrates how the use of simple and affordable techniques can help the rural poor to increase their food security by increased yields and generate income from cash crops which allows them to better cope with “hungry periods” of the year. Pro-poor and affordable agriculture water management

Role of water in poverty alleviation Raise food supply and cash income Reduced migration from rural areas to cities Irrigation allows for timely, secure increase in production without increasing the land holding Conditions Affordable technologies Local manufacturing capacity Land, water and technology should be under farmer control low operation and maintenance costs Easy to install and to operate Pro-poor policies, actions and technoloies needed. (1.5 min) The rural poor and under-nourished are Displaced people (refugees) Farmers having too little land for economically sustainable farming Land less farmers, and marginal groups Why this focus on rural poverty? By reducing the income gaps between urban and rural population, it will raise food supply and cash income and may reduce migration from the rural areas to the cities. Irrigation allows for timely, secure increase in production without increasing the land holding but also land and water conservation techniques can make large contributions to the individual households in terms of food security. Through the FAO Special programme for food security, initiated in 1994 focus on the promotion low-cost water control techniques for small holders is carried out. The program is currently operational in 71 countries and under formulation in 12 others. The conditions for a successful promotion of these technologies are: That they are available at affordable prices That there is a capacity for local manufacturing and distribution That there are low operation and maintenance costs That they are easy to install and to operate As addressed in the former section it is important that policies including training are supporting for a success. We will now look on a few examples

Case 1: Conservation Agriculture Alternative forms of tillage prevents crust formation and maintains an organic soil cover Reduced erosion and water losses Traditional approaches in South America Requires animal use and high management skills (1 min) In Conservation Agriculture a permanent or semi-permanent organic soil cover is kept to increase rainfall infiltration and to keep the soil-moisture better. It prevents erosion and reduces water losses by evaporation It is labour intensive in terms of animal use, but it is not capital intensive. (only technical tool is a non tillage planter). It permits diversification on a limited land and livestock production can be integrated in the system The benefits for farmer are: More stable yields, and gradually increasing yields with decreasing inputs. It requires Higher management skills, Access to specific technologies (e.g. zero tillage planter) and to pesticides in case of weed invasion. It is being practised on about 45 million ha, mostly in South America:

Case 2: Water harvesting Collecting of water in structures ranging from small furrows to dams Allows farmers to conserve rainwater and direct it to crop for increased food security in drought prone areas Traditional approaches in arid and semi-arid countries High productivity Less risks Vulnerable to dry periods Requires water use groups (1.5 min) The second example is water harvesting- which collects rainfall from small furrows to dams It allows farmers to conserve rainwater and direct it to crop for increased food security in drought prone areas These traditional approaches are used in arid and semi-arid zones. The picture here is from the Keita valley in Niger (an Italian funded FAO project) you see a Tree plantation with trenches. The advantages with water harvesting is that it is: labour-intensive, simple Increase food security in drought prone areas. Can increase the yield 2 to 3 times compared to rainfed agriculture. However, it is still vulnerable to Climatic variability and therefore there is no guarantee for high yield As water is collected and directed to the field or temporary storages, there are also risks for conflicts with downstream users. It requires maintenance and therefore water use groups are essential. It can also involve high costs depending on the level of development of dams and channels. (Average cost : 600 to 1000 USD/ha (not low)) Example: Keita valley in Niger tree plantation with trenches

Case 3: Low-cost well drilling Hand drilling technique from Asia helps farmers to improve their access to water Simple and manual Low cost Limited drilling depth (1 min) Here we have an example of a low cost hand drilling technique from Asia which helps farmer to have easy access to secure water for supplementary irrigation. The drilling depth is normally 15 meters (max. 35m to 50m with air pressure) and therefore it is suitable were you have shallow aquifers. It is a traditional technique from Asia but it has been adopted in other areas The drilling technique is simple and the costs are relatively low (US$ 1400-2000, similar to the cost of a hand dug well) The well can be equipped with treadle pumps, hand pumps etc. The limitations are that there are needs for a local entrepreneur including the provision of pumps

Case 4: Water lifting Simple pumping technologies combined with improved surface water distribution techniques helps farmers to manage the water better and reduce losses Simple Low costs No risk for groundwater overexploitation Requires time and cultural acceptance (1 min) Here is an example of a simple water pump. The treadle pump was invented in the early 1980s in Bangladesh and was used by thousands of farmers. A joint programme between FAO and the International fund for agricultural development started in 1996 to introduce the pump in Zambia in 1996 with a great success as a network of manufactures has developed. This pump as well as other simple pumps has the advantage of: Providing more water to the farmers and to give more time for other activities, as they do not have to carry heavy buckets of water to their plots anymore as more water can be provided in less time. This enables crop quality, and diversification There is no risk for groundwater overexploitation Its simple and the cost is low ( 25 USD to 150 USD according to the area) The disadvantages are that they still requires time and energy for the person that pumps and cultural acceptance Example: Treadle pumps From Asia to Africa

Case 5: Family-kit drip irrigation Complete drip irrigation system for 50-2500 m2 household food security, income from high value crops and major reduces in water losses (0.5 min) The last example here is a family kit irrigation system This is a complete drip irrigation system for 50 to 2500 square meters The advantages are that it is simple and available at low cost per family, but not per ha (US$ 5 and US$ 100 per unit ) it is a water saving technology which enhance the household food security and enables the growth of high value crops. It requires access to water close by and a market for selling vegetables management and mechanical skills and extension service (This type of complete drip irrigation system are practiced for example in Nepal, southern Africa)

No Agriculture without Water The last question we would like to discuss today deals with the impacts of irrigated agriculture on the environment and people’s health and the need to combat them. So far, we have discussed the important role irrigation plays for global food production and for food security, but the intensive agriculture associated to irrigation also has implications in other sectors. In this presentation, we call for a more responsible management of irrigated agriculture that faces and addresses the negative consequences often associated with its successes. Managing the environmental and health impacts of irrigated agriculture

Impacts of irrigation Overuse and misuse of water in irrigated agriculture deprive downstream users (inc. environment) Poor management of irrigation and lack of sufficient drainage waterlogging and salinity problems Drawbacks of drainage risk for flooding downstream and reduced groundwater recharge Overuse of groundwater falling groundwater levels (2 min) The first and most visible impact of irrigation are due to overuse or misuse of water. Overuse as water is consumed and there are some examples where rivers even have dried up. Misuse as the clean water abstracted is often contaminated with salts, pesticides and herbicides. In doing so, irrigated agriculture deprives downstream users, including the environment, of water that could be put into beneficial use. Poor management of irrigation and lack of sufficient drainage creates rising water tables that leads to waterlogging and salinity problems However, drainage has also the drawbacks. Better drainage upstream causes larger downstream flows, increasing the risks for floods. As water is drained it also reduces the amount of water which is returned to aquifers. By pumping more water than is replenished each year groundwater levels are falling which reduces future food supply and other water users with not enough deep wells. Poorly designed and miss-managed irrigation contributes to health hazards as contaminated water is used for washing, drinking and irrigation. By having water standing still it also provides breading grounds for malaria. Poverty and low access to health services aggravates the situation in rural areas. Over 200 million people infected with schistosomiasis (Bilharziasis) of which more than 80 % lives in the sub-Saharan Africa. It is not only a health problem. The misuse also results in waterlogging and salinization of land, which otherwise could have been used for farming. In addition, there are impacts on people and the environment associated with large dams. Waterlogging Salinization Health hazards

Mitigating of adverse effects On health and environment Water conservation Reuse of drainage water Treatment of drainage water Safe disposal of drainage water Reducing favorable conditions for vector-born and water-related diseases by: (1 min) To control the disposal of irrigation return flows and to save water for other uses, four categories of physical management measures can be distinguished water conservation, drain water reuse, drain water treatment and Safe disposal of drainage water, if needed Water-based and water-related vector-born diseases are likely to be found in irrigated areas where soils are waterlogged due to the absence or poor maintenance of drainage, rice or sugarcane is cultivated, reservoirs or stagnant surface water is present, or canals are unlined and/or have unchecked vegetation growth. As the ecology of water-related diseases is well known and adequate planning and management measures can be taken these negative impact can be reduced. Measures include regular maintenance of irrigation and drainage system and appropriate management that reduces for example water standing still. improved management of irrigation systems (decrease breeding sites) regular maintenance of irrigation systems.

Prevention Prevention of water-borne and water-washed diseases can be done through: Education , training, media campaigns Improved drinking water supplies, sanitation and housing Strict control over the wastewater effluent quality being discharged Problem: In many countries, treatment facilities are inadequate or lacking altogether. (1 min) Water-borne and water-washed diseases such as diarrhoeal diseases, typhoid fever, guineaworm etc. are causing for people becoming ill and dying from these diseases. Especially in areas where irrigation water is contaminated by sewage water or where wastewater is deliberately used for irrigation, protection of public health needs careful attention. In general these diseases may be controlled through a combination of education and improved drinking water supplies, sanitation and housing. Further to protect public health it is essential to enforce strict control over the effluent quality being discharged. However in many countries treatment facilities are inadequate or lacking altogether. Present developments are too slow to expect large-scale improvements in water quality in the near future although much effort is made at present to develop affordable treatment technologies. To protect public health and prevent outbreaks of epidemics, special measures need to be adopted. They include crop selection and choice of irrigation technology that suite the actual level of contamination of the irrigation water.

Conclusions Water is an essential element to secure food production, but it is not the only one; Development of land and water resources will need to be much more strategic; Agriculture has to improve water productivity We have to empower the water users Agriculture has to shoulder its environmental responsibilities Investments are needed We need food to feed the world Water is an essential element to secure food production, but it is not the only one; Agricultural policy…. Development of the available land and water resources will need to be much more strategic in order to service effective demand. Agriculture has to improve water productivity: cropping pattern, irrigation efficiency, modernization, empowering the water users Agriculture has to shoulder its environmental responsibilities and needs to be pro-active in minimising the negative environmental impacts of irrigated agriculture Investments in irrigation development and modernization are needed

Thank you ! World food day: http://www.fao.org/wfd/ Water service: http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/aglw/