Agriculture is the single largest user of water, it uses an estimated 70 per cent of total global fresh water, returning the majority of this water back to the system. The daily drinking water requirement per person is 2–4 liters, but it takes 2 000 to 5 000 liters of water to produce one person’s daily food.

Agriculture looks set to remain the biggest user of water into the middle of this century. While the shift to bio-fuels is generally welcomed, their production could demand as much water as fossil fuels.

In terms of food, the volume of demand is growing with population expansion, and we are seeing a significant global move away from a mainly starch-based diet to an increasing demand for more water-intensive meat and dairy as incomes grow in many countries.

Efficiency measures along the entire agrifood chain can help save water and energy, such as precision irrigation based on information supplied by water providers, which can motivate farmers to invest in their systems to ensure the best returns from their water investment.