Water, irrigation, and sustainable agriculture and livestock

Abstract

This paper presents the importance of the water resources management and the best irrigation practices to reach better results in the agricultural activities worldwide and in Brazil. The results of the Brazilian agricultural productivity are described for the period of 1990/1991–2011/2012 and confirm the advantages of the adequate agricultural and livestock management with irrigation practices. The potentiality of Brazilian soils for sustainable irrigation development is described for each Brazilian state. The study also describes the current irrigated areas with the use of the main irrigation methods, per state and per region. The work presents the main measures for water use optimization in the agriculture and livestock sector with irrigation practices.