Climate change is considered as a detrimental natural risk reinforced by significant changes of precipitation patterns and thermal variability causing progressive drought periods. The propagation of climate change impacts has reached groundwater depletion and river runoff reduction. It can be clearly recognized that agricultural systems in arid and semi-arid countries have faced instability of water dynamics causing a decline of agricultural productivity. Apart from natural hazards, human interference such as demographic growth, economic development and urban sprawl has increased the gap between water demand and water availability in water-scarce regions affecting the entire food system. Therefore, water competition, water conflicts and unsatisfied water demand are the main human challenges regarding attaining food security. This critical situation has severely affected agriculture, economy and society making vulnerable communities exposed to future climate risks. In this context, adaptive strategies of water management for sustainable agricultural water use should be implemented to deal with the emergence of water scarcity.
This broad approach will be beneficial in obtaining an optimal irrigation schedule to improve crop productivity, with a consideration of sustainable water use, thereby supporting both the local economy and the well-being of those communities. Dynamic monitoring processes will also empower local governments to understand the ways in which the agricultural policies could be adapted to specific levels of water vulnerability in affected agricultural areas, thus enabling their resilience under future climate water stress.
This project is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
