Climate change impacts on water sustainability of South African crop production

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dc.creatorBonetti, S.
dc.creatorSutanudjaja, E. H.
dc.creatorMabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
dc.creatorSlotow, R.
dc.creatorDalin, C.
dc.date2022-08-01
dc.date2022-07-31T04:47:56Z
dc.date2022-07-31T04:47:56Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T18:27:35Z
dc.descriptionAgricultural production in arid and semi-arid regions is particularly vulnerable to climate change, which, combined with projected food requirements, makes the sustainable management of water resources critical to ensure national and global food security. Using South Africa as an example, we map the spatial distribution of water use by seventeen major crops under current and future climate scenarios, and assess their sustainability in terms of water resources, using the water debt repayment time indicator. We find high water debts, indicating unsustainable production, for potatoes, pulses, grapes, cotton, rice, and wheat due to irrigation in arid areas. Climate change scenarios suggest an intensification of such pressure on water resources, especially in regions already vulnerable, with a country-scale increase in irrigation demand of between 6.5% and 32% by 2090. Future land use planning and management should carefully consider the spatial distribution and local sustainability of crop water requirements to reduce water consumption in water risk hotspots and guarantee long-term food security.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/120374
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/156513
dc.languageen
dc.publisherIOP Publishing
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceBonetti, S.; Sutanudjaja, E. H.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Slotow, R.; Dalin, C. 2022. Climate change impacts on water sustainability of South African crop production. Environmental Research Letters, 17(8):084017. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac80cf]
dc.subjectcrop production
dc.subjectwater resources
dc.subjectsustainability
dc.subjectclimate change
dc.subjectfood security
dc.subjectwater footprint
dc.subjectvirtual water
dc.subjectwater availability
dc.subjectwater requirements
dc.subjectwater use
dc.subjectgroundwater
dc.subjectspatial distribution
dc.subjectforecasting
dc.subjectevapotranspiration
dc.titleClimate change impacts on water sustainability of South African crop production
dc.typeJournal Article

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