Financing Asian Irrigation: Choices Before Us

By 2050, agriculture will need to produce 100% more food in developing countries. Improved irrigation productivity and greater financial sustainability are critical.

Water resources are becoming increasingly scarce in the Asia Pacific region. By 2050, agriculture will need to produce 100% more food in developing countries. Climate change and rapid population growth will place new pressures on already scarce water resources. Improved irrigation productivity—more crop per drop—and greater financial sustainability are critical. Estimates for the Asian region place a $12.31 billion annual investment required for irrigation between 2005 and 2013.

This publication looks into how the Asia and Pacific region is addressing the need to sustainably fund large-scale, publicly owned and managed surface irrigation and drainage systems.