Print Email Facebook Twitter Assessment of agricultural water resources sustainability in arid regions using virtual water concept Title Assessment of agricultural water resources sustainability in arid regions using virtual water concept: Case of South Khorasan Province, Iran Author Qasemipour, Ehsan (Ferdowsi University of Mashhad) Abbasi, A. (TU Delft Water Resources; Ferdowsi University of Mashhad) Date 2019 Abstract Cropping pattern plays an important role in providing food and agricultural water resources sustainability, especially in arid regions in which the concomitant socioeconomic dangers of water shortage would be inevitable. In this research, six indices are applied to classify 37 cultivated crops according to Central Product Classification (CPC). The respective 10-year data (2005–2014) were obtained from Agricultural Organization of South Khorasan (AOSKh) province. The water footprint concept along with some economic indicators are used to assess the water use efficiency. Results show that blue virtual water contributes to almost 99 percent of Total Virtual Water (TVW). In this occasion that an increasing pressure is exerted on groundwater resources, improper pattern of planting crops has to be beyond reproach. The improper cropping pattern in the study area led to the overuse of 346 × 106 m3 of water annually. More specifically, cereals cultivation was neither environmentally nor economically sustainable and since they accounted for the largest share of water usage at the province level, importing them should be considered as an urgent priority. Vegetable cultivation could be further increased—instead of other water-intensive crops such as fruits—at the province level, not only due to their low TVW, but also to their higher financial output. Subject Arid regionsSustainabilityVirtualwater tradeWater footprintWater self-sufficiencyWater use efficiency To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:2ca5d94c-0902-4483-94cc-f22451d5a6b2 DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030449 ISSN 2073-4441 Source Water, 11 (3) Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2019 Ehsan Qasemipour, A. Abbasi Files PDF water_11_00449_v2.pdf 1.73 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:2ca5d94c-0902-4483-94cc-f22451d5a6b2/datastream/OBJ/view