Thumbnail Image

Upscaling innovative rainwater management in rainfed agriculture

FAO Agricultural Development Economics Policy Brief 33

Copyright licence

Year of publication 2020

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 2p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Category General interest book

Series title FAO Agricultural Development Economics Policy Brief

Series number 33

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Rainfed agriculture accounts for more than half of the world’s food production but is facing increasing precipitation variability, driven by climate change. Achieving zero hunger will require improvements in rainwater management to increase productivity. About 45 percent of global rainfed cropland is still under low-input production systems. These are concentrated mostly in lower-income countries, which face multiple challenges in addressing the growing water shortages. Improved water management practices must be combined with the best agronomic practices for enhanced effectiveness. These processes can be supported by expanding and digitizing extension services, as well as by government investments and assistance to farmers.

The findings in this brief have been adapted from the FAO report The State of Food and Agriculture 2020. Overcoming water challenges in agriculture.

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Other document
    Compendium on Rainwater Harvesting for Agriculture in the Caribbean Sub-region
    Concepts, calculations and definitions for small, rain-fed farm systems
    2014
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    The purpose of this document is to provide a practical tool to train and build human capacity in the Caribbean sub-region in the practice of rainwater harvesting. Application of rainwater harvesting techniques will produce measurable improvements in livelihood and household food security, generated by access to reliable water resources for irrigation. The document is targeted to agricultural smallholders operating on two hectares of land or less, as well as backyard gardeners and school gardenin g projects. It describes simply, but carefully the relationships between plants, soil, water, climate and rainfall, and on-farm rainwater harvesting. The document uses calculations and tables to explain the concepts, charts and drawings to illustrate them. Furthermore, both metric and imperial systems of measurement are used throughout to facilitate practical application of the knowledge gained by users. It includes important definitions and reference tables to provide added guidance to users. A dditionally, each example of a rainwater-harvesting system is illustrated by the relevant drawings and/or photographs. In a step-by-step approach to knowledge-building, the document addresses the following five areas: (a) design rainfall; (b) the catchment area and storage design; (c) reference crop evapotranspiration and crop water requirements; (d) managing effective rainfall and cumulative storage; and (e) rainwater harvesting systems suitable for the Caribbean sub-region.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Technical study
    Agricultural Investment to Promote Improved Capture and Use of Rainfall and Dryland Farming
    Technical Paper N. 10 - 1995
    1995
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    The success of dryland agriculture depends on there being an adequate supply of water in the rooting zone of the soil, freely available to crop plants. Designers of investment projects to support dryland agriculture often analyse rainfall statistics in some detail. However they have tended to give less attention in project designs to measures which will promote more efficient capture and use of rainfall. This document reviews available technologies to improve in situ capture of rainfall and its more efficient use by crop plants. It concerns areas with restricted, irregular or markedly seasonal rainfall, mostly where the annual average is from 400 to 1,000 mm, but also where seasonal shortages of rainfall can limit crop productivity. It is directed to staff of the FAO Investment Centre and their counterparts in government teams responsible for project design.
  • No Thumbnail Available
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.