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Agricultural food production is highly dependent on freshwater availability and is currently threatened by climate change and increasing contamination of water reservoirs. In order to meet the needs of a growing population, modern farmers are faced with the challenge of having to increase yield while minimizing water consumption. While the generation and inclusion of drought-resistant crops in current breeding programs has offered promising results, its potential is limited by conventional agricultural methods that are still associated to significant water losses through evaporation, run-off or percolation. Innovative strategies to increase water use efficiency at a larger scale, namely farm and landscape levels, are therefore essential to complement current breeding programs and ensure global food security, while preserving the remaining freshwater resources.
This Collection welcomes original research on multi-disciplinary strategies to increase water use efficiency in agriculture, from hydrological studies to agricultural landscaping and engineering.
This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 2, SDG 6 and SDG 12.