Achieving sustainable management of water in agriculture

Agriculture is responsible for approximately 70% of water use worldwide. Governments must ensure that farmers use water resources efficiently, and that they are allocated among competing demands in a way that enables farmers to produce food and fibre, minimise pollution and support ecosystems, while meeting social aspirations.

• Environment, water resources and agricultural policies: lessons from China and OECD countries
• Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies: Proceedings of an OECD workshop, Adelaide, Australia, 14-18 November 2005 (read also the conclusions and recommendations).
• Environmental performance of Agriculture in OECD countries since 1990 (2008). The Report includes chapters on OECD trends in agriculture water use and impacts on water quality, plus reference to water on a country-by-country basis.
• OECD Expert Meeting on Agricultural Water Quality and Water Use Indicators (Gyeongju, Korea, October, 2003)
• Agriculture and Environment: Lessons Learned from a Decade of OECD Work (2004)
• Transition To Full-Cost Pricing Of Irrigation Water For Agriculture In OECD Countries (2003)

=> More information on OECD work on agriculture and environment