Improving water sustainability and food security through increased crop water productivity in Malawi

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dc.creatorNhamo, Luxon
dc.creatorMabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
dc.creatorMagombeyi, Manuel Simba
dc.date2016
dc.date2016-12-23T05:22:11Z
dc.date2016-12-23T05:22:11Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T18:44:27Z
dc.descriptionAgriculture accounts for most of the renewable freshwater resource withdrawals in Malawi, yet food insecurity and water scarcity remain as major challenges. Despite Malawi’s vast water resources, climate change, coupled with increasing population and urbanisation are contributing to increasing water scarcity. Improving crop water productivity has been identified as a possible solution to water and food insecurity, by producing more food with less water, that is, to produce “more crop per drop”. This study evaluated crop water productivity from 2000 to 2013 by assessing crop evapotranspiration, crop production and agricultural gross domestic product (Ag GDP) contribution for Malawi. Improvements in crop water productivity were evidenced through improved crop production and productivity. These improvements were supported by increased irrigated area, along with improved agronomic practices. Crop water productivity increased by 33% overall from 2000 to 2013, resulting in an increase in maize production from 1.2 million metric tons to 3.6 million metric tons, translating to an average food surplus of 1.1 million metric tons. These developments have contributed to sustainable improved food and nutrition security in Malawi, which also avails more water for ecosystem functions and other competing economic sectors.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/78494
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/164195
dc.languageen
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceNhamo, Luxon; Mabhaudhi, T.; Magombeyi, Manuel. 2016. Improving water sustainability and food security through increased crop water productivity in Malawi. Water, 8(9):1-12. doi: 10.3390/w8090411
dc.subjectfood security
dc.subjectwater management
dc.subjectwater productivity
dc.subjectwater scarcity
dc.subjectwater use
dc.subjectfreshwater
dc.subjectcrop production
dc.subjectsustainability
dc.subjectagricultural production
dc.subjectevapotranspiration
dc.subjectpopulation growth
dc.subjecturbanization
dc.subjectmaize
dc.subjectrainfed farming
dc.subjectirrigation systems
dc.subjectsmallholders
dc.titleImproving water sustainability and food security through increased crop water productivity in Malawi
dc.typeJournal Article

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Instituto Internacional para el Manejo del Agua (IWMI)