At what scale does water saving really save water? Lessons from the use of resource conservation technologies in Pakistan

摘要

Water scarcity is a growing concern around the world. Opportunities to develop new water supplies are declining while new demands for industrial and urban uses and the environment are growing. Globally, agriculture accounts for some 70% of global water diversions, and the agricultural sector is the single largest consumer of water in most countries. In addition, water used in agriculture is typically considered to have lower economic value than when applied for "new" uses. As a result, the agricultural sector is often the loser when pressures for reallocation occur, both because it has the most to give and because reallocation away from agriculture can increase overall water productivity. Agriculture's share of total water use is already falling and in some countries even absolute use is dropping.