Agriculture methods consume 90% of the world’s water and are therefore by far the biggest driving factors of water scarcity. Researchers from the University of California used a hydrological model to analyze the monthly global crop water demand and determine the amount of freshwater that is sustainably accessible for agriculture. Their model revealed that half of the irrigated land is unsustainable, exhausting groundwater. Researchers emphasize that agricultural production can be enhanced using smart irrigation methods without depleting groundwater. The smart practices may involve building small reservoirs to store water locally during seasons when there is an excess run-off, which can then be used during dry seasons.
Disclaimer: The above article has been aggregated by a computer program and summarised by an Steamdaily specialist. You can read the original article at cosmosmagazine
