Irrigation and Agriculture

Globally, one in nine people in the world today (815 million) are undernourished. Agriculture is the single largest employer in the world, providing livelihoods for 40 percent of today’s global population. Irrigated agriculture consumes 70 percent of harvested freshwater; efficiencies in irrigation practices can greatly contribute to zero hunger and sustainable water management.

Irrigation has been practised for many decades in Australia, especially in the Murray-Darling Basin, which consumes about two-thirds of the water extracted for irrigation of crops and pasture. As part of the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin plan, billions of dollars have been spent over the past decade on irrigation modernisation within the basin. The purpose of the modernisation process was to increase water use efficiency and improve productivity. Australia can provide technical and operational advice on all aspects of irrigation modernisation in areas where this appropriate.

Icon

Do you have these challenges?

  • Assessing and designing the most appropriate irrigation infrastructure for your country
  • Modernising your irrigation sector through ICT
  • Introducing a charging scheme for the use of rural irrigation and drainage systems
  • Understanding the impact of subsidies on the water-food-energy nexus
  • Improving water use efficiencies in the agricultural sector

Want to learn more about…

  • Rural irrigation infrastructure
  • Drainage supply schemes
  • Water charging within irrigation systems
  • Modernising irrigation schemes
  • Irrigation benchmarking
  • Improving crop per drop
  • Irrigation asset management
  • Rural water supply schemes
  • Irrigation delivery schemes
  • Levels of service
  • Water-food-energy nexus
  • Smart technologies
  • Policies, service delivery, regulation
  • Operator rules
  • Drainage and flood protection
  • Pricing and regulators
  • Revenue requirements
  • Food security
  • SDG 6 and 2
  • Improving water use efficiency

Find out more about what the Australian Water Partnership is offering through
related knowledge products, activities, news and events below

Related AWP knowledge products

Irrigation Water Ordering – With applications for Thailand and surrounding regions: An Australian Perspective (cover)
Irrigation Water Ordering – With applications for Thailand and surrounding regions: An Australian Perspective (3.5mb)
Cover page of Thai Edition of Irrigation Water Requesting and SharingAn Australian Perspective (cover)
(Thai Edition) Irrigation Water Requesting and Sharing – With applications for Thailand and surrounding regions: An Australian Perspective (6.8mb)
Water use efficiency in irrigated agriculture: An Australian Perpective
Water use efficiency in irrigated agriculture: An Australian Perpective (2.5mb)

Related AWP activities

Related news and interviews

Related events

AWP Partners with this expertise

Coming soon

Further resources