Water accounting
Understanding the current status of water resources systems globally requires detailed information on the source of water in space and time as well as detailed information on the utilisation of those water resources. Unavailability of sufficient observed data is a big issue in most parts of the world to be able to fully assess available water resources and its utilisation. Fortunately, more and more remote sensing based products are becoming available, providing information on various components of the water cycle, such as precipitation, actual evapotranspiration and storage variations.
WaPOR for water accounting
04/11/2020
Water accounting is one tool that can assist with facing the challenges related to the sustainable use of our finite freshwater resources and it can be supported by easily-available open-access data. This case study aims to show how WaPOR (FAO’s portal to monitor Water productivity through open access of remotely sensed derived data) data can be used to support water auditing processes at different scales: the basin, the national scale and the subnational/scheme scale.
WaPOR for monitoring agriculture in conflict areas
28/12/2020
In periods of conflict, the mechanisms for collecting agricultural data can be disrupted as it might be too unsafe for data to be collected in-situ, or crucial data-collecting infrastructure might be damaged. In such cases, remote sensing data (or earth observations data) can constitute a viable data source to turn to as an alternative or a complement. This case study explores the use of WaPOR data to monitor agricultural activity in conflict areas by focusing on the use of WaPOR data in Syria.
WaPOR and ICT
26/04/2021
This leaflet deals with the use of ICT (information and communication technologies) in agriculture as extension and advisory services using concrete examples of applications that use WaPOR data.
The dimensions of water productivity
28/10/2022
This document presents the different dimension of water productivity, and shows how remote-sensing data, including WaPOR data, can be helpful in monitoring it at different scales. The document illustrates these different dimensions through on a series of case studies.
Crop yield response to water
01/01/2012
This paper presents a set of tools packaged by FAO to better appraise and enhance crop yield response to water. These tools provide the means to sharpen assessment and management capacities required to: compare the result of several water allocations plans: improve soil-moisture control-practices under rainfed conditions; optimize irrigation scheduling (either full, deficit or supplementary); sustainably intensify crop production; close the yield and water-productivity gaps; etc.
Crop evapotranspiration: guidelines for computing crop water requirements
01/01/1998
This publication presents a procedure for calculating reference and crop evapotranspiration from meteorological data and crop coefficients. The procedure, first presented in FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 24, Crop water requirements in 1977, allows estimation of the amount of water used by a crop, taking into account the effect of the climate and the crop characteristics.
Modernizing irrigation management: the MASSCOTE approach
01/01/2007
MASSCOTE is a step-wise procedure for auditing performance of irrigation management, analyzing and evaluating the different elements of an irrigation system in order to develop a modernization plan. The aim is to work together with users in determining improved processes for cost-effective service-oriented management.
The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture 2021: systems at a breaking point
13/12/2021
SOLAW is a FAO flagship publication that analyses a variety of options for overcoming constraints and improving resource management in systems at risk: a mix of changes in institutional and policy measures will have to be combined with greater access to technologies.
Coping with water scarcity. An action framework for agriculture and food security.
01/01/2012
This report presents the conceptual framework, reviews a series of policy and technical options, and establishes a set of principles that should serve as a basis for the development of effective food security policies in response to growing water scarcity. Also available in French, Spanish and Arabic.
Coping with water scarcity: an action framework for agriculture and food security
01/01/2012
This report presents the conceptual framework, reviews a series of policy and technical options, and establishes a set of principles that should serve as a basis for the development of effective food security policies in response to growing water scarcity. Also available in French and Arabic.
Water accounting and auditing: a sourcebook
01/01/2016
FAO, together with other organizations, recommends water accounting and auditing as being fundamental to initiatives that aim to cope with water scarcity. This sourcebook wants to provide advice on the application and use of water accounting and auditing, helping users planning and implementing processes that best fit their needs. Also available in french.
WaPOR V1 - database methodology: level 1 data (continental level - 250m)
21/09/2018
This publication describes the methodology applied to produce the different data components published in WaPOR, FAO's portal to monitor Water Productivity through Open access of Remotely sensed derived data.
WaPOR v1 database methodology: level 2 (country and river basin level - 100m)
25/10/2018
This document describes the methodology applied to produce the different data components made available at Level 2 (100 m spatial resolution) in WaPOR, FAO's portal to monitor Water Productivity through Open access of Remotely sensed derived data. The data is mainly derived from freely available remote sensing satellite sensors and products.