Water is a critical input for agricultural production and plays an important role in food security. The quality and sustainability of the water used in agricultural activities is of vital importance. It is necessary to examine the agriculture-water relationship in terms of both soil and food productivity and the efficient use of water resources.
If we evaluate the agriculture-water relationship in terms of soil and food productivity, the importance of the quality of irrigation water becomes apparent. The quality of irrigation water directly affects food productivity. Irrigated agriculture represents 20 percent of the total cultivated land and contributes 40 percent of the total food produced worldwide. one
Soil scientists use the following parameters to describe the effects of irrigation water on crop production and soil quality:
Salinity
Sodium amount
pH
Ion concentrations2
In addition to influencing crop yield and soil physical conditions, these parameters can affect productivity needs, irrigation system performance and lifespan, and how water can be applied. Therefore, determining and maintaining irrigation water quality is critical to understanding what changes are necessary for long-term productivity.
If we look at the agriculture-water relationship from the perspective of water efficiency, we must take into account the scarcity of clean water resources that are emerging day by day. With the increasing importance of water in sustainability, the need to use recycled water is also increasing. The most important usage areas of recycled water are agricultural activities. The gray water obtained by treating the wastewater in the houses, the water obtained from the rainwater collection systems, the water obtained by desalination and various treatment methods can be used as irrigation water source.
For all these reasons, the issue of water management in agriculture should be taken more seriously for both soil and food safety and water sustainability. It is vital to direct the irrigation water used in agricultural activities in the most efficient way by using scientific approaches.
1 https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water-in-agriculture
2Bauder, T. A., Waskom, R. M., Sutherland, P. L., & Davis, J. G. (2011). Irrigation water quality criteria (Doctoral dissertation, Colorado State University. Libraries).*******
