University of Colombo
Discussion
Started 8th Aug, 2023
Is better management of water consumption and conservation correlated with running a sustainable farm?
In your opinion, is the issue of better management of water consumption and conservation correlated with running a sustainable organic farm or agritourism farm?
97 percent of the water on the planet is salt water in the oceans and seas. 3 percent of the water is fresh water, in you, 1/3 in glaciers and 2/3 is cloud water, surface water (rivers, lakes, marshes), hypodermic and deep water. So, man has at his disposal for his needs (including industrial, agricultural, domestic, municipal...) only 1 percent of the water on the planet.
The research shows that with the operation of a sustainable farm or agro-tourism farm practicing organic farming mainly oriented to the cultivation of vegetable crops can be associated, correlated can be the issue of water consumption savings, a large decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, an increase in the scale of energy autonomy, a decrease in the scale of non-biodegradable waste generation, increased financial savings due to less use of chemical plant protection products, etc. Besides, there may be water consumption savings associated with running a sustainable organic farm or agritourism farm, improved water management compared to an unsustainable production farm.
The study found that when a farm allocated 1/10th of the area of cultivated fields for afforestation, tree planting, planting shrubs, creating green areas, green belts separating individual fields, creating ditches with irrigation water for cultivated fields, creating rainwater storage ponds for irrigation of cultivated fields during periods of drought, and it turned out that despite the reduction in cultivated area, crop production increased. In addition, large amounts of water were saved. And if these reduced croplands were used to produce crops as not fodder for livestock but as food for humans then the benefits mentioned above would increase much more.
Producing 1 kg of beef as part of the entire process of farming and cattle breeding consumes as much as a dozen tons of water.
In traditional, productive, intensive agriculture, 4 times more farmland (livestock feed production) is used as part of meat production compared to the situation if the fields produced crops, i.e. grains, fruits and vegetables but used as raw materials to produce food products as food directly for humans.
Increasing the scale of water consumption savings on the farm regardless of the type of agricultural production can also be achieved by building small-scale on-farm water treatment plants, rainwater catchment systems and tanks, retention ponds where rainwater is stored. Rainwater should be used on the farm for, among other things, watering agricultural crops. However, the problem is the increasing incidence of prolonged lack of rainfall and severe periods of heat and drought derived from the progressive process of global warming. In such a situation, deep wells are built and deep water, including Oligocene water, is extracted. If this kind of water is used for agricultural purposes then deep-water resources can quickly run out. Therefore, especially when a farm uses deep-sea water it is essential to create and improve water-saving technologies and systems. In the situation where the farm is located near a river then the solution may be to create a river water treatment plant for agricultural use. And when the farm is next to the sea or ocean then investment in seawater desalination may be a good solution. However, this kind of investment is highly expensive. Then there should be created and developed systems of financial subsidies provided from the state's public finance system, which, under green financing, would help farmers and entrepreneurs operating also in other sectors of the economy to build systems for desalination and possibly also treatment and purification of seawater, which could be used for various purposes, including multi-faceted use on farms.
In a situation where a farm would obtain water from the seas and oceans instead of consuming deep-sea water resources, which will not recover quickly, this would be an important element of natural sustainability. Deep-sea water, including Oligocene water, has been forming for thousands or millions of years. On the other hand, in its extraction and consumption for industrially carried out projects carried out under a predatory economy, the resources of this water can quickly be depleted, and this is an important element of an unsustainable economy. Therefore, within the framework of a sustainable agricultural or agritourism farm carrying out organic farming in a situation of water shortages, increasingly frequent periods of drought, then in order for the farm not to lose its sustainable status it should use rainwater, water from treated wastewater and/or desalinated sea water instead of using deep-sea water resources.
In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:
In your opinion, is the issue of better management of water consumption and conservation correlated with running a sustainable organic farm or agritourism farm?
Is the issue of better management of water consumption and conservation correlated with running a sustainable farm?
And what is your opinion about it?
What do you think about this topic?
Please answer,
I invite everyone to join the discussion,
Thank you very much,
Warm regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
Counting on your opinions, on getting to know your personal opinion, on a fair approach to the discussion of scientific issues, I deliberately used the phrase "in your opinion" in the question.
The above text is entirely my own work written by me on the basis of my research.
In writing this text I did not use other sources or automatic text generation systems.
Copyright by Dariusz Prokopowicz
Most recent answer
Drip Irrigation, Mulching, sprinkler
2 Recommendations
Popular replies (1)
Yes, better management of water consumption and conservation is highly correlated with running a sustainable farm. Water is a vital resource for agriculture, and its efficient use and conservation play a crucial role in ensuring the long-term viability and sustainability of farming operations.
Here's how better water management is connected to sustainable farming:
1. Resource Efficiency:
- Sustainable farms aim to optimize resource use, including water. Efficient water use minimizes waste and ensures that the available water resources are used to their fullest potential.
2. Conservation:
- Sustainable farms prioritize water conservation by implementing practices that minimize water loss through evaporation, runoff, and inefficient irrigation.
3. Environmental Stewardship:
- Proper water management helps protect local ecosystems, as excessive water withdrawal can harm aquatic habitats, wetlands, and water quality.
4. Soil Health:
- Proper irrigation practices prevent soil erosion and compaction, maintaining soil structure and fertility for healthier crop growth.
5. Resilience to Climate Change:
- Sustainable farms build resilience to changing climate patterns by adopting practices that enhance water availability during droughts or periods of reduced precipitation.
6. Reduced Input Costs:
- Efficient water use reduces the need for excessive irrigation, leading to lower energy and water supply costs.
7. Water Quality:
- Sustainable farms manage runoff and avoid water contamination through responsible practices, safeguarding water quality for both agricultural and community use.
8. Regulatory Compliance:
- Many regions have regulations regarding water use and conservation. Sustainable farms adhere to these regulations, avoiding fines and contributing to responsible resource management.
9. Long-Term Viability:
- By conserving water resources, sustainable farms ensure the availability of water for future generations of farmers and communities.
10. Community Relations:
- Responsible water management fosters positive relationships with neighboring communities by demonstrating a commitment to shared resources.
To achieve better water management, sustainable farms may implement techniques such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, soil moisture monitoring, cover cropping, crop rotation, and precision farming practices. These strategies not only ensure the farm's economic success but also contribute to environmental stewardship and resilience in the face of changing climatic conditions.
3 Recommendations
All replies (7)
A very interesting discussion and questions posed. From my own research and personal experience in farm management, in particular farm business management, natural resource management and 'emissions management' are critical, in all farming production scenarios, including organic, climate smart and biodynamic farming systems. Indeed fresh water management and conservation take a priority, but need to be considered, within the overall management of natural resources and emissions. I have found, that from a business management point of view, 'costing' natural resource usage as an economic good as well as emissions, which is fairly an old adage, makes farmers think and reflect, usually, and shows them, that if used wisely, natural resources and emission reductions can cut farm costs, for example. However, it becomes somewhat more complicated with explaining that water withdrawals for farming detract from water availability for natural vegetation and wildlife as these are important as farming areas, and that in this regard of water withdrawals within the local area, a 'balance' needs to be found. Further, there is also competition from rural towns and urban centres for fresh water. Moreover there is also competition from manufacturing and other manufacturing operations, still for fresh water.
An interesting option is waste water recycling, including urban waste water recycling. Overall though, two of the main issues i have found, among the many, in terms of fresh water, devoted to agriculture, is that of ownership of water sources and usage rights over streams, ponds, rivers and lakes, etc., for example and water pricing. Pricing of fresh water is highly subsidized, as per the high social implications of water and as such tends to be very undervalued, and not only in farm production operations. The introduction of future markets for water have moved this slightly more towards a better economic valuing of water, but many matters remain unsolved.
2 Recommendations
Yes, better management of water consumption and conservation is highly correlated with running a sustainable farm. Water is a vital resource for agriculture, and its efficient use and conservation play a crucial role in ensuring the long-term viability and sustainability of farming operations.
Here's how better water management is connected to sustainable farming:
1. Resource Efficiency:
- Sustainable farms aim to optimize resource use, including water. Efficient water use minimizes waste and ensures that the available water resources are used to their fullest potential.
2. Conservation:
- Sustainable farms prioritize water conservation by implementing practices that minimize water loss through evaporation, runoff, and inefficient irrigation.
3. Environmental Stewardship:
- Proper water management helps protect local ecosystems, as excessive water withdrawal can harm aquatic habitats, wetlands, and water quality.
4. Soil Health:
- Proper irrigation practices prevent soil erosion and compaction, maintaining soil structure and fertility for healthier crop growth.
5. Resilience to Climate Change:
- Sustainable farms build resilience to changing climate patterns by adopting practices that enhance water availability during droughts or periods of reduced precipitation.
6. Reduced Input Costs:
- Efficient water use reduces the need for excessive irrigation, leading to lower energy and water supply costs.
7. Water Quality:
- Sustainable farms manage runoff and avoid water contamination through responsible practices, safeguarding water quality for both agricultural and community use.
8. Regulatory Compliance:
- Many regions have regulations regarding water use and conservation. Sustainable farms adhere to these regulations, avoiding fines and contributing to responsible resource management.
9. Long-Term Viability:
- By conserving water resources, sustainable farms ensure the availability of water for future generations of farmers and communities.
10. Community Relations:
- Responsible water management fosters positive relationships with neighboring communities by demonstrating a commitment to shared resources.
To achieve better water management, sustainable farms may implement techniques such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, soil moisture monitoring, cover cropping, crop rotation, and precision farming practices. These strategies not only ensure the farm's economic success but also contribute to environmental stewardship and resilience in the face of changing climatic conditions.
3 Recommendations
Water is a critical input for agricultural production and plays an important role in food security. Water conservation at farm level is considered a necessary requirement if we are to feed the booming global population by supporting sustainable agriculture. Maximization of crop & water productivity at farm level by increasing application and use of irrigation water via water-saving technologies (e.g. laser land leveling ,furrow bed irrigation, drip irrigation, mulching, deficit irrigation, and water-saving cultivars) are the main ways to solve water resources shortage at farm level. Poor farm designing and uneven fields are responsible for significant (about 30%) water loss during application at farm level. Most of our farmers apply irrigation water to the fields until the highest point is irrigated, which leads to over-irrigation of low lying areas and under-irrigation of higher spots thereby resulting in accumulation of salts in such areas. Over irrigation leaches down the soil nutrients from the crop zone, makes the soil less productive and degrades groundwater qualityleadign to poor agriculture productivity. Following conservation practices at farm level will ensure better water productivity at the farm.
1 Laser land leveling enables efficient utilization of water resources through elimination of unnecessary depressions and elevated contours at farm. It facilitate application efficiency by 15-25% through even distribution of water and increased water-use efficiency that resulted in uniform seed germination, better crop growth and higher crop yield
2 Improved farm layout help improve improve both conveyance and application efficiency of applied water.Enhances the irrigated area by 2% due to reduction in number as well as length of field ditches;
3 Improved method of boarder and furrow irrigation.
4 Improved diversion of water.
5 Deep Cultivation.
6 Water budgeting and adjusting cropping pattern.
7 Irrigation scheduling or when to apply water.
o Proper depth of water application or how much water to
o Apply.
o How to apply water.
8 Locating water courses so that their total length in the farm is to a minimum
9 They are as straight as possible with minimum bends.
10 Boarder width and length match steam flows and soil texture.
11 There are drains that allow the proper drainage of water from the land and soil.
Above Good agricultural and water management practices at farm level will ensure better conservation of water that will ensure significant improvements in agricultural productivity at farm level on sustainable basis.
3 Recommendations
University of Dhaka
It is rarely possible to maintain a sustainable agro farm with water Conservation and correlation. Fishing within a large pond or water reservoir by providing specific farming area is partly easier to cultivate fish. Plenty of fresh water become available at this point but at the same time, consumption of that water may originate some difficulties as it no longer remains drinkable. However, culturing algae in same reservoir may reduce the impurities caused by fish farm and make water relatively vigorous for consumption.
3 Recommendations
Many studies indicate that the farmers are either wasting water by over irrigation or are deprived of their allocated share. The over irrigation has caused the salinity and water logging problems and the less water availability has caused either low crop yields or area with no cultivation. This situation has caused low crops yield and inefficient use of water. The inflexible supplies have also increased the cost of production by the use of ground water pumping.
Studies indicate that total available water supplies are still 3.25 times the crop water requirement. That indicates the great potential to store water at the farm level and utilize it for crop production. On Farm Water Management (OFWM) Punjab helps to meet crop water requirement by increasing flexibility of water availability and to grow high value crop .OFWM does both first store canal water delivers to the farm on the turn, then pumped out from the On Farm Water Storage (OFWS) to irrigate the crops in-between the turn through high efficiency irrigation system(Drip and sprinkler).OFWS are also being used for fish culture. Thus, better water management at farm is highly correlated with sustainable agriculture.
3 Recommendations
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