An Assessment of Available Water for Livestock and Garden Irrigation in Dry Season for Subsistence Farmers in Zimba District

Abstract

Globally, 90% of the global water consumption is for agricultural purposes, and more than 40% of the crops are produced under irrigated conditions in order to support agricultural development due to increasing human population and uncertain climate. Irrigated agricultural land comprises less than a fifth of all cropped area but produces 40–45% of the world’s food. It is generally expected that irrigated agriculture will have to be considerably extended in the future in order to feed growing populations (an additional 1.5–2 billion people by 2025, according to United Nations population projections). However, it is not yet known whether there will be enough water available for the necessary extension. As it is very likely that water demands of the domestic and industrial sectors will increase in the future, even regions that do not have water scarcity problems today such as Zambia, will be restricted in their agricultural development and thus possibly their food security by a lack of water availability [1].