What we understand for sustainable irrigation
Sustainable irrigation is the rational practice of all activities related with the irrigation of plants, whether in the areas of agriculture, landscape and ornamentals, so that it helps satisfying the respective survival and welfare needs of the present without compromising those of future generations.
Sustainable irrigation covers, therefore, the need to consider multiple aspects, with relevance for those related with the degradation, loss or depletion of resources such as soil, water, and energy, and with a particular attention to the protection and conservation of biodiversity and the environment.
The concept of sustainable irrigation is not only limited to the physical place where irrigation is applied, but it takes into account the impacts of manufacturing and transportation of required equipment and materials, as well as incurred discharges and waste impacts. The impacts of implementation, operation and maintenance of the works, directly or indirectly needed for irrigation and often located at long distances, are not to be ignored as well.
In order to be sustainable, irrigation has to cope with climate shifts of the areas where it is practiced. Therefore, it must overcome droughts and, in a larger scale, the effects of global climate change. Thus, leaning on other disciplines, such as those related with crop selection and improvement, automation and telecommunications, institutional governance and others, might be crucial.
Finally, in the same way that sustainable irrigation has to be able to face water shortages, it should also be immune to other resources scarcities, such as energetic and economic, through a long time period.
The concept of “sustainable irrigation” is closely linked to “water resources sustainability”, “sustainable water use”, and “agriculture and rural development” concepts defined below.
Water resources sustainability
Source: Mays, Larry W. “Ancient Water Technologies”. Ed. Springer, 2010
Water resources sustainability is the ability to use water in sufficient quantities and quality from the local to the global scale to meet the needs of humans and ecosystems for the present and the future to sustain life, and to protect humans from the damages brought about by natural and human-caused disasters that affect sustaining life.
Because water impacts so many aspects of our existence, there are many facets that must be considered in water resources sustainability including:
– Water resources sustainability includes the availability of freshwater supplies throughout periods of climatic change, extended droughts, population growth, and to leave the needed supplies for the future generations.
– Water resources sustainability includes having the infrastructure to provide water supply for human consumption and food security, and to provide protections from water excess such as floods and other natural disasters.
– Water resources sustainability includes having the infrastructure for clean water and for treating water after it has been used by humans before being returned to water bodies.
– Water sustainability must have adequate institutions to provide the management for both the water supply management and water excess management.
– Water sustainability must be considered on a local, regional, national and international basis.
– To achieve water resources sustainability the principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM) must be implemented.
Sustainable water use
Source: Mays, Larry W. “Ancient Water Technologies”. Ed. Springer, 2010
Sustainable water use is “the use of water that supports the ability of human society to endure and flourish into the indefinite future without undermining the integrity of the hydrological cycle or the ecological systems that depend on it (Gleick et al. 1995). The following seven sustainability requirements were presented:
– A basic water requirement will be guaranteed to all humans to maintain human health.
– A basic water requirement will be guaranteed to restore and maintain the health of ecosystems.
– Water quality will be maintained to meet certain minimum standards. These standards will vary depending on location and how the water is to be used.
– Human actions will not impair the long-term renew ability of freshwater stocks and flows.
– Data on water-resources availability, use and quality will be collected and made accessible to all parties.
– Institutional mechanisms will be set up to prevent and resolve conflicts over water.
– Water planning and decision making will be democratic, ensuring representation of all affected parties and fostering direct participation of affected interests.
Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
Source: FAO Trainer’s Manual, Vol. 1, «Sustainability issues in agricultural and rural development policies,» 1995
Sustainable Development is the management and conservation of the natural resource base, and the orientation of technological and institutional change in such a manner as to ensure the attainment and continued satisfaction of human needs for present and future generations. Such sustainable development (in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors) conserves land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, is environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.
FAO defines SARD (Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development) as a process which meets the following criteria:
– Ensures that the basic nutritional requirements of present and future generations, qualitatively and quantitatively, are met while providing a number of other agricultural products.
– Provides durable employment, sufficient income, and decent living and working conditions for all those engaged in agricultural production.
– Maintains and, where possible, enhances the productive capacity of the natural resource base as a whole, and the regenerative capacity of renewable resources, without disrupting the functioning of basic ecological cycles and natural balances, destroying the socio-cultural attributes of rural communities, or causing contamination of the environment.
– Reduces the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to adverse natural and socio-economic factors and other risks, and strengthens self-reliance.