Agriculture
4. How does agriculture affect other sectors? (1 of 3)








 

   
 



Agricultural impacts on water resources
Unfortunately agricultural water resources are often overused and misused, especially in irrigated agriculture. This has not only resulted in large-scale waterlogging, salinity and overexploitation of groundwater resources, but also in the depriving of downstream users of sufficient water and in the pollution of fresh water resources with contaminated return flows and deep percolation losses.


Return of agricultural water to rivers

Between 30% and 60% of the water abstracted for agriculture is returned to rivers.

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Use of groundwater
In some places where irrigation is dependent on groundwater, water is being abstracted faster than the rate of recharge. As well as depriving other sectors of water, such declines can have devastating environmental consequen-ces.


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