22 Nov 2017
Considering Resources beyond Water // Irrigation and Drainage Management in the Context of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
By Tamara Avellán, Reza Ardakanian, Sylvain R. Perret et al. This paper takes stock of current knowledge and analyses the most recent trends in water, irrigation and the environment. It discusses the requirements for strategic approaches and the contributions of irrigation and drainage to Sustainable Development Goals.
Firstly, the authors concentrated on renewed and more balanced relationships between water, energy, food and ecosystems in the context of irrigation and drainage management. Secondly, they assessed the positive and negative impact of agricultural water use in order to demonstrate and improve its performance. Given exacerbated competition and water resource scarcity, a better understanding of the positive effects and valuable ecosystem services provided by irrigation and drainage systems could pave the way to maximizing benefits and safeguarding the environment. Lastly, the authors tried to address the role of stakeholders in irrigation governance. This includes active contribution to policy-making and planning, incentives, and most importantly, capacity development.
Authors
- Tamara Avellán
- Reza Ardakanian
- Sylvain R. Perret
- Ragab Ragab
- Willem Vlotman
- Hayati Zainal
- Sangjun Im
- Hafied A. Gany