Integrated crop water management might sustainably halve the global food gap

摘要: As planetary boundaries are rapidly being approached, humanity has little room for additional expansion and conventional intensification of agriculture, while a growing world population further spreads the food gap. Ample evidence exists that improved on-farm water management can close water-related yield gaps to considerable degree, but its global significance remains unclear. In this modeling study we investigate systematically what extent integrated crop might contribute closing gap, constrained by assumption pressure on resources land does not increase. Using process-based bio-/agrosphere model, simulate yield-increasing potential elevated irrigation productivity (including with thus saved water) optimized use in situ precipitation (alleviated soil evaporation, enhanced infiltration, harvesting supplemental irrigation) under current projected future climate (from 20 models, without beneficial CO2 effects). Results show efficiency improvements save substantial amounts many river basins (globally 48% non-productive consumption an 'ambitious' scenario), if rerouted irrigate neighboring rainfed systems, boost kcal production significantly (26% increase). Low-tech solutions small-scale farmers water-limited croplands increase yields similar extent. combination, ambitious yet achievable strategies explored could 41% gap 62%. Unabated change will have adverse effects regions, as analyzed here buffer such significant degree.