文档介绍：COAG/2007/7
January 2007
E

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Twentieth Session
Rome, 25-28 April 2007
Agriculture and Water Scarcity: a Programmatic Approach to Water
Use Efficiency and Agricultural Productivity
Item 7 of the Provisional Agenda
Table of Contents
Pages
I. Introduction 1
II. Setting the Scene: Water Use and Users 2
III. Global Water Scarcity: the Issues 3
IV. The Instrumental Role of Water in Agriculture 3
V. Establishing a Programmatic Framework 4
A. Improving on-farm water management 6
B. Improving the performance of irrigation system services 6
C. Augmenting supply: the use of non-conventional waters 7
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ii COAG/2007/7
D. Water Harvesting 8
E. National policies: water allocation to agriculture 8
F. Trade as a variable in agriculture water management 9
VI. Invited Views and Guidance from COAG 10
COAG/2007/7 1

I. Introduction
1. Agriculture is just one amongst many users of water, all of whom have pete for
water quantity and quality. Agriculture is responsible for the largest withdrawals and is therefore
considered the main ‘culprit’ under conditions of local absolute scarcity (when raw water supplies
cannot satisfy all demands). General failure for agriculture to account for its withdrawals is
highlighted when global assessments of water scarcity are made. However, this should be
distinguished from a lack of equitable access to water services (including irrigation services) and
strict economic scarcity of a good or service. The lack of equitable access to water and related
sanitation and drainage services, whether in municipalities or irrigation schemes, characterizes
mos