Solutions to agricultural green water scarcity under climate change

Abstract

Rain-fed agricultural systems, which solely depend on green water (i.e., soil moisture from rainfall), sustain ∼60% of global food production, and are particularly vulnerable to vagaries in temperature and precipitation patterns, which are intensifying due to climate change. Here, using projections of crop water demand and green water availability under warming scenarios, we assess global agricultural green water scarcity – defined when the rainfall regime is unable to meet crop water requirements. With present day climate conditions, food production for 890 million people is lost because of green water scarcity. Under 1.5 °C and 3 °C warming – the global warming projected from current climate targets and business as usual policies – green water scarcity will affect global crop production for 1.23 and 1.45 billion people, respectively. If adaptation strategies were to be adopted to retain more green water in the soil and reduce evaporation, we find that food production loss from green water scarcity would decrease to 780 million people. Our results show that appropriate green water management strategies have the potential to adapt agriculture to green water scarcity and promote global food security.

Agriculture evolution, sustainability and trends, focusing on Brazilian agribusiness: a review

“…The balance of these factors in conditions closer to ideal allows agriculture to be carried out close to its maximum potential and uniformity. Rainfed agriculture is the prevalent method in agricultural countries around the world, with irrigation systems being used in a few cases, generally in small areas and crops with a higher financial return per cultivated area (He and Rosa, 2023). Therefore, most agriculture worldwide is prone to adversities imposed by climate changes, such as lack or excess of rain, hailstorms, cross-stress due to this imbalance (e.g., nutritional, pathogens, insect pests, others), weakening of the soil and microbiota, changes in planting, pruning, and harvesting windows, and incompatibility of some commercial cultivars to the production regions with seasonally changed climatic conditions (Howden et al, 2007;Elli et al, 2022).…”

Achieving net-zero emissions in agriculture: a review

“…Smart irrigation technologies, such as soil moisture sensors and controllers, can improve irrigation efficiency, reduce unproductive water use, and decrease energy consumption [77]. Agricultural practices such as no-till farming, mulching, and agrivoltaics can help retain more water in the soil by reducing soil evaporation and therefore reduce irrigation water demand [78]. Deficit irrigation, which involves growing crops under mild water-stress conditions, can further reduce water and energy consumption and CO 2 emissions [71].…”

IAA-producing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria from Ceanothus velutinus enhance cutting propagation efficiency and Arabidopsis biomass

“…Landscaping, the major consumer of irrigation water, is an essential section of agriculture prone to adverse effects caused by environmental stresses. Recent studies using crop water demand and green water availability projections under changing climates have shown that we can adapt agriculture to green water scarcity through various management strategies and have the potential to promote global food security ( He and Rosa, 2023 ). Promoting and using native plants in urban landscaping is in demand in arid urban areas in China ( Liu et al., 2024 ).…”