Water Productivity and Efficiency
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If current farming practices are not changed, the amount of water that will be required to meet global food needs will nearly double by 2050.
Photo by Flickr/Kevin Dooley
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Improving Water Productivity in Jordan
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Increasing Water and Energy Efficiency in South Africa
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Water has always been the lifeblood of human productive activity, proving essential for sectors ranging from agriculture to energy to heavy industry. Today, however, an expanding global economy, urbanization, and increases in population are all causing demand for this vital resource to surpass supply, sparking local and regional tensions and hindering food production and economic growth in many developing countries.
Unless major changes are made to the way we manage water resources, these tensions will only intensify.
Averting this looming global water crisis requires meeting two great challenges: improving water use efficiency to ensure that the quantity of water reserves remain adequate for humanity’s many competing demands; and reducing pollution and other threats to water quality, to ensure that the water supplies we do have continue to be usable. USAID employs the following approaches to help developing countries meet these goals:
- Improve water use efficiency in agriculture - Agriculture currently uses approximately 70 percent of all water withdrawls. USAID supports efforts to increase water efficiency in this sector by improving irrigation systems, promoting new farming techniques and the use of environmentally appropriate crops, working with research institutions to develop improved aquaculture production technologies and systems, reusing treated wastewater for agriculture, and strengthening the institutions that enforce water prices and rights.
- Reduce water pollution by industry - USAID is working to reduce water pollution by:
- establishing clear and appropriate rules for private sector productive water use, which should include “polluter pays” principles;
- strengthening the role of institutions tasked with enforcing regulations and protecting water quality; and,
- promoting the adoption of cleaner and more water-efficient production processes.
- Increase water use efficiency in cities - USAID is helping cities reduce physical leaks and implement demand-side management programs, craft regulations and ordinances, and design communications/outreach programs to promote water use efficiency by households and businesses.
- Address linkages between the water and energy sectors - Water supply and energy generation are closely linked. Between 2 and 3 percent of the world’s energy consumption is used to pump and treat water for urban residents and industry. Conversely, water is an important resource in many types of energy generation systems. Because of these connections, inefficiencies or mismanagement in one sector inherently affects the other. USAID is leading efforts to address water-energy linkages, and ensure that both resources are being used sustainably.
- Promote water reuse - The use of reclaimed water is an essential component of integrated water resources management (IWRM) and sustainable development in both wet and dry climates. USAID ensures sustainable development by exploring new strategies for using reclaimed water, while ensuring that its use does not endanger the health of field workers or consumers.
- Expand water harvesting and distribution systems -
By expanding water harvesting and small-holder water capture and distribution systems, USAID helps improve water security in water stressed areas and other vulnerable regions. These efforts will be particularly important as the effects of climate change become more widespread.
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