SuP presents at CropWorld Global conference: What drives efficient water management today and in the future?
17/11/2016
Overall about 40% of all globally produced food is grown in irrigated areas. Yet only about 15% of the total cultivated land is under irrigation. Unesco has estimated that global agricultural use of water will increase by 19% until 2050, by which time additionally 2.3 bn people will be living in areas with extreme water scarcity.
Efficient irrigation is crucial for feeding about 10 bn people. What technologies are currently available for efficient irrigation?Micro irrigation is gaining in significance. Especially in the Asian region this technology shows double-digit growth rates. Micro irrigation refers to the delivery of water at low flow rates through various types of water applicators by a distribution system located on the soil surface. With the aid of smart irrigation solutions, a farmer can apply the precise amount of water required at the best moment depending on the plant needs by using soil-moisture or weather sensors. By applying fertigation (irrigation with fertilizer application) the nutrient supply for plants can be optimized to ensure the best growth conditions for the crop.Beside technical aspects, country-specific regulations also play a pertinent role. Nowadays such regulations differ widely and are of doubtful effectiveness. This will have to change in the future. We expect a growing awareness and increased deployment of more efficient technologies. Countries with a high relevance of agricultural water consumption are especially affected, e.g. India, China, Brazil, USA and the EU. CropWorld Global, one of the leading conferences and exhibitions for innovations in crop production, plant protection and agricultural technology, took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from October 24 to 25, 2016.Are you interested in further background information as well as technical and strategic concepts, regional details and specific distributions? Please contact us.© Schlegel und Partner 2016