Enhancing Water and Food Security Through Improved Agricultural Water Productivity

This open-access edited book provides a synthesis of knowledge on Water Productivity (WP) and its role in addressing global challenges related to water and food insecurity, as well as climate change. It explores how increasing WP can contribute to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the global South, with a focus on SDG 2, 6, and 12.

The volume connects WP with emerging approaches such as the water-energy-food nexus, sustainable food systems, and the circular economy. It features case studies, critical analyses, and meta-analyses that bridge the science-policy-practice interface. The book also delves into WP's relation to global priorities, policies, and the empowerment of vulnerable communities, highlighting the non-negotiable rights to water and food. Governance, policies, and institutions are discussed in the context of enhancing WP in farmer-led irrigation and scaling WP technologies. The book also covers emerging methods for determining WP, assessing linkages to nutrition, health, and well-being, and integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

This is a guide for regional and international experts, professionals, and scholars interested in agricultural water management in the global south. The book has the potential to inform multi-regional and sectoral policies, particularly in Africa, and contribute to sustainable development through better resource management.