Agriculture, water and food security

Project description

Agriculture is the economic base of many developing countries and it is a widely acknowledged fact that to improve development in such economies, investments in the agricultural sector is necessary. At local levels, agriculture and water are two inter-linked fields that determine food security outcomes for natural resources-based livelihoods, especially where people depend on food availability to meet their food needs and have limited resources to access food through markets and other exchange sources. A common factor is also the fact that many agricultural enterprises in developing countries (especially Africa), depend on rainfall for agriculture. Hence, under conditions of variable rainfall, alternative water sources like surface and ground water offer potentials for maintaining and increasing agricultural productivity. In the face of persistent food insecurity in many developing regions and the prevailing low production and productivity levels, a major focus is how to improve agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner that also accounts for a sustainable use of natural resources.