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World population is set to increase by a third in the next 25 years, with no corresponding increase in global rainfall. About seventy per cent of the world's abstracted water is used in farming and therefore the economics of irrigation is becoming an increasingly important issue for sustainable development. Water for Agriculture provides a thorough overview of this highly topical subject, written in a clear and accessible style.
The Scope of the book is wide both in its analysis and in its geographical coverage. Topics covered include the infrastructure, operation and maintenance of irrigation service supply, the supply of drainage services, economic cost benefit analysis, water resource planning at the regional scale, political economy and irrigation policy. The content of Water for Agriculture is enhanced by numerous tables, diagrams, and in-depth case studies.
This book will be an essential read for those professionals involved in the planning of water resources, and for advanced students studying this topic as part of agriculture, development studies, economics, engineering, environmental science, geography, hydrology and planning courses.
List of contents
Acknowledgements. Abbreviations. Units of measurement. Chapter One: The Global Challenge. Chapter Two: The Demand for Irrigation Services. Chapter Three: Irrigation Service Supply: the Infrastructure. Chapter Four: Irrigation Service Supply: Operation, Maintenance and Management. Chapter Five: Drainage Services Demand and Supply. Chapter Six: Social Cost-Benefit Analysis for Irrigation Projects. Chapter Seven: Water Allocation at the Regional Scale. Chapter Eight: The Political Economy of Irrigation. Glossary. References. Index.
About the author
Stephen Merrett
Summary
Water for Agriculture provides a thorough overview of this highly topical subject, written in a clear and accessible style. It will be an essential read for those involved in the planning of water resources, and for advanced students.
