The status of water use efficiency and productivity with a focus on paddy rice in Sri Lanka

Download or read book The status of water use efficiency and productivity with a focus on paddy rice in Sri Lanka written by Salman, M., Suzuki, H., Ahmad, W., Giusti, S., Ali, A., Rathnayake, W.M.U.K., Sirisena, D.N., Senanayake, D.M.J.B., Herath, W.M.T.M., Meegasthenna, J., Ponnampalam, Y., Bandulasena, W.M., De Silva, A., Nandharathne, A.B.D.T., Sooriyaarachchi, A.T., Bandara, D., Pathmarajah, S. and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2023-03-30 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global water demand is likely to grow in the next 20 to 30 years due to agriculture intensification, population growth, urbanization, and climate change. In Sri Lanka, one-third of the rural population depends on agriculture. Rice is the national staple food which is cultivated twice a year on more than half a million hectares of land under a range of physical and environmental conditions. Despite being self-sufficient in rice production, Sri Lanka has low levels of water productivity and water use efficiency in paddies. Furthermore, its water and food security is extremely vulnerable to climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been active to increase the understanding of the status of water use efficiency and water productivity in Sri Lanka through the project “Efficient Agricultural Water Use and Management Enhancement in Paddy Fields”, funded by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). The project objective is to identify limits and potentials of paddy rice production at national level. The project findings presented in this report are a basis for assisting the country with the evaluation of the status of water use efficiency and water productivity of paddy fields, providing technical and policy support to enhance water resources management in Sri Lanka.