Seventy percent of all freshwater withdrawal is used for agriculture, and although just 17 percent of all cropland is now irrigated, these lands account for an estimated 30-40 percent of crop production (Wood et al. 2000:6).

Efficiency levels within the irrigation sector are very low, exacerbating the scarcity problems in many areas of the world. Over half of the water withdrawn for irrigation never reaches the target crop because of leakage and evaporation.

Water for agriculture in many countries is also subsidized, which does not provide the economic incentives to improve irrigation systems and make them more efficient.