70% of the world’s freshwater is consumed by agriculture and 40% of this is wasted because of inadequate irrigation systems, evaporation and poor water management. This is a staggering figure and with clean freshwater becoming more scarce, it’s important that we all are careful with the amount we use.
With global populations continuing to rise and climate conditions becoming more unpredictable, the need for freshwater continues to increase. It’s vital that efforts to conserve water are expanded so we all have access to clean water when we need it.
In this article we look at why the agriculture industry uses so much water and recommend ways farms can reduce water usage.
Why do Farms Use So Much Water?
Farms require extensive amounts of water due to a number of key factors including:
Growing Crops
Many crops require consistent amounts of water each day from seed to harvest. The larger the area of crops, the more water is needed and with the global population surpassing 8 billion, agricultural production has increased significantly.
Which Crops Use the Most Water?
Different crops require specific amounts of water in order to flourish. This usually results in higher demand for irrigation systems to be used. The crops which require the most water include:
- Alfalfa
- Cotton
- Pasture
- Rice
- Soybeans
- Sugarcane
- Wheat
Rearing Livestock
Raising livestock requires a large amount of water, mainly because water is needed to grow the crops that livestock eat. In Europe, 62% of all cereal crops are used to feed animals.
Livestock has a greater impact on water consumption than crops. The average water footprint per calorie of beef is 20 times more than that of cereal and starchy root.
Animals also require fresh drinking water. In hot or dry environments, animals will need even more water. Animals also must be regularly cleaned to help keep them healthy and prevent disease.
How Much Water Does Livestock Need?
Water footprints for one animal are:
- Dairy Cow: Approximately 170 litres a day
- Beef Cattle: Approximately 95 litres a day
- Pigs: Approximately 30 litres a day
Water Wastage
Farms also use lots of water simply due to wastage. Flood or furrow irrigation are outdated methods which are widely used. These poor irrigation methods result in large quantities of fresh water being wasted everyday due to evaporation, runoff or deep percolation beneath the targeted area of roots.
Low Soil Quality
Different types of soil are able to retain water better than others. If the soil is unable to retain water well, extra water is required to ensure crops receive the amount they need. Too much tillage can also impact the soil’s ability to retain water and should be avoided.
Climate Conditions
Areas with limited rainfall, especially in dry seasons, are highly dependent on irrigation systems to ensure their crops receive enough water from seed to harvest.
Climate change is impacting things and causing intense and unpredictable droughts that force farmers to use more water than expected.
How to Reduce Water Usage in Agriculture
With 40% of the total water usage in agriculture being wasted every year, improving methods in this industry is vital for our planet. The Cool Farm Tool is one of the best ways to understand your water usage around crops. Our water module allows you to quickly assess crop water consumption, requirements and footprints which can then be compared to management changes with our ‘what if scenarios’ function.
The tool can currently represent farm management by simulating different crops and irrigation methods and accounting for different soil properties, such as soil organic matter and texture.
Alongside our tool, here are some other ways to reduce water usage:
Drip Irrigation: Using these systems helps deliver water directly to the plants roots at a controlled rate. This reduces water loss that would normally occur through evaporation and runoff. Drip irrigation is able to considerably reduce water usage compared to a standard sprinkler.
Scheduling Irrigation: Helps improve water usage efficiency so you are only providing crops with water at optimal times when they are able to absorb as much as possible.
Drought Resistant Crops: Using crops that require less water or that have been genetically modified to adapt to environments with less rainfall can significantly help reduce water usage.
Capturing and storing water: Capturing rainwater is an effective way to conserve water. Reusing this water in your own irrigation system is an efficient way to reduce water usage.
Cover crops: In order to reduce evaporation and shade soil, plants can be used to provide cover.
Reduce Tillage: Reducing tillage minimises soil disturbance which helps it retain moisture and improves quality helping crop growth each cycle.
How Can Cool Farm Help Farmers Reduce Water Usage
Farmers and supply chains are being required more often to provide assessments of water usage for crop production to ensure things are being done efficiently.
The Cool Farm Tool can help you calculate your water usage by looking at your water use for crops. Once you’ve completed an assessment, you’ll be able to come up with strategies to reduce it. Examples of how the tool can be applied include:
- measuring your water footprint over time
- To simulate the impact of different irrigation actions on your water footprint for every kg of product harvested at the field scale.
It can help you optimise your irrigation methods and ensure you are giving the correct amount of water to your crops so you’re not over-irrigating them. You can easily do a water use assessment alongside a GHG assessment by filling in a few more data fields.
Cool Farm Alliance members use the Cool Farm Tool in a variety of different ways to support their sustainability efforts. Here are some examples of how our members have reduced their water usage:
Unilever
The Cool Farm Tool helped Unilever with their Regenerative Agriculture Principles that encourage farmers to implement agricultural practices that improve water quality, carbon capturing, biodiversity and other things. Farmers use our Tool to measure the impact of their regenerative practices.
Soil & More
The Tool was used for an on-site visit of a tea cooperative in India that was dealing with a 30-40% drop in yield. It was able to help farmers better understand carbon dynamics and utilise local resources. They were able to increase the water holding capacity of soil by 40% and increase their yield by 20% by applying compost they made from crop residues.
Solidaridad
Solidaridad worked with 7,361 coffee farmers in Mexico, Columbia, and Peru. The Cool Farm Tool was able to help them improve waste-water management and see a 21% increase in yield. The introduction of shade tree production systems and climate resilient crop varieties also had a positive effect. They saw a reduction of 27,869t CO₂ eq and a reduction in sequestration of 97,818t CO₂ eq.
Conclusion
Reducing water usage is critical for sustaining this essential resource. As the Earth’s population continues to increase, the need for crops and livestock is heightened. Adopting water conserving methods like improving irrigation, reusing rainwater, using drought-resistant crops and minisiming tillage can help reduce water usage.
With the increased pressure on farmers and businesses to reduce water usage, members of The Cool Farm Alliance are working together to share conservation ideas to create a more sustainable future. Get in touch to find out more or check out the Cool Farm Tool to calculate your water footprint and see how you can lower your water usage.
