Sustainable Agriculture

WWF promotes water efficiency through more suited crops, improved water management, removing trade barriers and ending perverse subsidies.

There are various methods for managing water more efficiently, and so tackle the food and water crisis.

In the past two years, WWF has worked closely with leading multinational companies, NGOs, and research institutes to change the way that thirsty crops, especially cotton, rice, and sugar, are grown. The aim is to introduce better farming practices that reduce the environmental and social impacts of cultivation, while also increasing farm income.

Water savings on farms

WWF believes that growing crops more suited to the location and season would give more 'crop per drop'.

In the Niger River basin, for example, rice is grown in the dry season, and therefore demands more water. Switching to growing wheat during that season could reduce water use by more than a third on average while still producing a crop of food and commercial value.

Farmers can also reduce losses in storage and conveyance, in evaporation from the soil or water surface, and from run off and drainage. Measures can also be taken to improve the farm's 'micro-climate', for example, by planting trees for shade or windbreaks, or adding plant wastes to increase the organic content of the soil, to increase water retention and reduce overall water use.

Irrigation systems and river basins

In many countries, individual farmers are dependent for their water supply on whoever controls large-scale irrigation systems.

Much can be done to improve efficiency through better system design, regular maintenance and effective drainage, and equitable procedures for allocating water among farmers where there are shortages.

Governments should also ensure that enough water remains in rivers and wetlands to maintain water suppliers, fisheries and wildlife habitats.

Altering the natural flow of rivers through dams, for example, may result in decimated fish stocks as the breeding cycles of fish are affected and migration routes are blocked. Freshwater fish are an important source of protein for the many of the world's poor.

Finally, governments must work with farmers and the food industry to develop better management practices in order to increase efficiency and reduce damage to the environment.

WWF and the World Bank are exploring financial incentives that encourage farmers and investors to adopt better management practices, for example eco-labels promoting environmentally-friendly products and offering a reduction in financial risks.