Agricultural water management

Water is the foundation of agriculture and food security, and a vital resource for household use, energy generation, industry and healthy ecosystems. Demand is rising across all sectors while supply grows more uncertain. Agriculture remains by far the largest water user globally – accounting for 72 percent of freshwater withdrawals – with irrigation as the primary driver. 

1.2 billion people live in agricultural areas facing severe water constraints, while climate change continues to reduce the reliability of water supply and increase crop water demands. At the same time, the sector faces mounting pressure to produce more with less: by 2050, agriculture must generate 50 percent more food, feed and fibre than in 2012, while freshwater demand is expected to rise by a further 25 percent. Improving how water is managed in agriculture is therefore not only a matter of resource conservation, as it is central to food security, rural livelihoods and the long-term resilience of agrifood systems. 

Good water management is key to long-term food security, higher water productivity and better service delivery to farmers. The achievement of good water management means modernizing irrigation infrastructure, strengthening water governance, enabling access to affordable energy for water lifting, unlocking the potential of non-conventional water sources and closing the yield gaps that persist in rainfed systems. 

Together with international partners, FAO supports countries in improving water management across the full spectrum of agricultural water uses, from large-scale irrigation modernization and water governance reform to water harvesting, wastewater reuse and the sustainable groundwater management. This work draws on technical tools, capacity development, policy advice and field experience to help countries produce more food with less water, reduce vulnerabilities to climate variability and strengthen the resilience of rural communities.