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The competition for existing freshwater supplies will require a paradigmatic shift from maximizing productivity per unit of land area to maximizing productivity per unit of water consumed. This shift will, in turn, demand broad systems approaches that physically and biologically optimize irrigation relative to water delivery and application schemes, rainfall, critical growth stages, soil fertility, location, and weather. Water can be conserved at a watershed or regional level for other uses only if evaporation, transpiration, or both are reduced and unrecoverable losses to unusable sinks are minimized (e.g., salty groundwater or oceans). Agricultural advances will include implementation of crop location strategies, conversion to crops with higher economic value or productivity per unit of water consumed, and adoption of alternate drought‐tolerant crops. Emerging computerized GPS‐based precision irrigation technologies for self‐propelled sprinklers and microirrigation systems will enable growers to apply water and agrochemicals more precisely and site specifically to match soil and plant status and needs as provided by wireless sensor networks. Agriculturalists will need to exercise flexibility in managing the rate, frequency, and duration of water supplies to successfully allocate limited water and other inputs to crops. The most effective means to conserve water appears to be through carefully managed deficit irrigation strategies that are supported by advanced irrigation system and flexible, state‐of‐the‐art water delivery systems. Nonagricultural water users will need to exercise patience as tools reflecting the paradigmatic shift are actualized. Both groups will need to cooperate and compromise as they practice more conservative approaches to freshwater consumption.

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More than 20 years of private and public research on site-specific variable rate sprinkler irrigation (SS-VRI) technology on self-propelled center pivot and linear move irrigation systems has resulted in limited commercial adoption of the technology. Competing patents, liability, and proprietary software have affected industry's willingness to move into a new technology area. Documented and proven water conservation strategies using sitespecific irrigation are quite limited. Marginal costs associated with site-specific technologies are high. Although sales of SS-VRI are increasing, they are primarily being used for Communicated by J. Kijne. Mention of trade names, companies, or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

AimsTo estimate the short-term effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of a smoking cessation intervention (the iQuit system) that consists of tailored printed and Short Message Service (SMS) text message self-help delivered as an adjunct to cessation support in primary care to inform the design of a definitive trial.DesignA stratified two parallel-group randomized controlled trial comparing usual care (control) with usual care plus the iQuit system (intervention), delivered by primary care nurses/healthcare assistants who were blinded to the allocation sequence.SettingThirty-two general practice (GP) surgeries in England, UK.ParticipantsA total of 602 smokers initiating smoking cessation support from their local GP surgery were randomized (control n = 303, intervention n = 299).MeasurementsPrimary outcome was self-reported 2-week point prevalence abstinence at 8 weeks follow-up. Secondary smoking outcomes and feasibility and acceptability measures were collected at 4 weeks after quit date, 8 weeks and 6 months follow-up.FindingsThere were no significant between-group differences in the primary outcome [control 40.3%, iQuit 45.2%; odds ratio (OR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.88–1.69] or in secondary short-term smoking outcomes. Six-month prolonged abstinence was significantly higher in the iQuit arm (control 8.9%, iQuit 15.1%; OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.09–3.01). iQuit support took on average 7.7 minutes (standard deviation = 4.0) to deliver and 18.9% (95% CI = 14.8–23.7%) of intervention participants discontinued the text message support during the programme.ConclusionsTailored printed and text message self-help delivered alongside routine smoking cessation support in primary care does not significantly increase short-term abstinence, but may increase long-term abstinence and demonstrated feasibility and acceptability compared with routine cessation support alone.