FAO Explores Multiple Water Uses from Large Irrigation Projects

Published on January 10, 2014 06:43 by Markus Pahlow, University of Canterbury - Senior Lecturer

December 2013: Against the backdrop of increasing water scarcity and the need to be more efficient in use of water, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) released a document that presents a framework for considering multiple water services and integrated water resource management (IWRM).

The paper, titled 'Multiple Uses of Water Services in Large Irrigation Systems,' considers the three phases of the Mapping Systems and Services for Multiple Uses of Water Services (MASSMUS) approach developed by FAO for the auditing of medium to large irrigation systems, and for planning modernization of their operation and management.

The paper outlines opportunities for direct distribution for crops and livestock, aquaculture, domestic water, hydropower, as well as services to small industry, cities and large businesses. It describes indirect distribution to homestead gardens, perennial natural vegetation and capture fisheries. The paper is part of a FAO series on irrigation and drainage.