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Book (series)Guidelines to control water pollution from agriculture in China
Decoupling water pollution from agricultural production
2013Also available in:
No results found.Deterioration of water quality is considered a key constraint to future economic development and social progress in China, and agriculture is known to be a major source of pollution. Agricultural systems in China have expanded and intensified to meet increasing food demand related to population growth and changes in diet. This has led to greatly increased pressure on water quality. Huge amounts of agrochemicals, organic matter, drug residues, sediments and saline drainage are being discharged every year into water bodies. Water pollution from rural sewage has also increased with the rapid development of the economy and improving living standards in rural areas. Rural sewage is estimated to be about 9 billion tonnes a year; most is discharged into the environment untreated. The resulting increased concentrations of pollutants in water bodies pose demonstrated risks to aquatic ecosystems, human health and productive uses. These guidelines produced by the F ood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture (IEDA) of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) review the key pressures and impacts from the main agricultural and rural activities (i.e. cultivation, animal raising, aquaculture, and rural living) and propose a set of good agricultural practices and economic and regulatory actions to minimize pollution and to move towards a more sustainable agriculture intensification in a greener economy. -
Book (series)Water Quality Management and Control of Water Pollution 2000
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No results found.In its recent examination of global water scarcity (1997) the United Nations system identified water quality as one of the key concerns in Asia in the next century. This concern is based on the fact that water quality degradation is so severe in many Asian countries that it is placing serious constraints on economic growth; it continues to be a serious problem for human health and it is causing widespread negative environmental effects. The problem of future management of water quality in Asia i s a complex one, and requires re-examination of a number of key areas – including technical, institutional, legal and governance issues. Within this context, FAO organized a Regional Workshop on Water Quality Management and Control of Water Pollution which took place in Bangkok, Thailand from 26 to 30 October 1999. This publication contains the report and recommendations of the Workshop and the edited versions of 18 papers presented and discussed during the meeting. -
Book (stand-alone)The wealth of waste
The economics of wastewater use in agriculture
2010Also available in:
The use of reclaimed water in agriculture is an option that is increasingly being investigated and taken up in regions with water scarcity, growing urban populations and growing demand for irrigation water. This report presents an economic framework for the assessment of the use of reclaimed water in agriculture, as part of a comprehensive planning process in water resource allocation strategies to provide for a more economically efficient and sustainable water utilization. Many region s of the world are experiencing growing water stress. This arises from a relentless growth of demand for water in the face of static, or diminishing, supply and periodic droughts due to climatic factors. Water stress is also caused by pollution from increasing amounts of wastewater from expanding cities, much of it only partially treated, and from the contamination of aquifers from various sources. Such water pollution makes scarcity worse by reducing the amount of freshwater that is safe to use. Water scarcity in all its aspects has serious economic, social and even political costs. At times of serious scarcity, national authorities are inclined to divert water from farmers to cities since water has a higher economic value in urban and industrial use than for most agricultural purposes. In these circumstances, the use of reclaimed water in agriculture enables freshwater to be exchanged for more economically and socially valuable purposes, whilst providing farme rs with reliable and nutrient-rich water. This exchange also has potential environmental benefits, reducing the pollution of wastewater downstream and allowing the assimilation of its nutrients into plants. Recycling water can potentially offer a “triple dividendâ€Â - to urban users, farmers and the environment. Reclaimed water use can help to mitigate the damaging effects of local water scarcity.
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