Net irrigation requirement under different climate scenarios using AquaCrop over Europe

• Published in: Hydrology and earth system sciences Vol. 26; no. 14; pp. 3731 - 3752
• Main Authors: Busschaert, Louise, de Roos, Shannon, Thiery, Wim, Raes, Dirk, De Lannoy, Gabriëlle J. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Katlenburg-Lindau Copernicus GmbH 18.07.2022; Copernicus Publications
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agricultural societies; Agriculture; Analysis; Atmospheric models; Climate change; Climate effects; Climate models; Climatology; Crop growth; Crop production; Crops; Drought; Emission; Evaluation; Fresh water; Freshwater; Future climates; Global climate; Global climate models; Global temperature changes; Hydrology; Inland water environment; Interannual variability; Intercomparison; Irrigation; Irrigation water; Meteorology; Mitigation; Modelling; Moisture content; Moisture effects; Precipitation; Rain; Salinity; Satellites; Simulation; Socioeconomic factors; Soil; Soil moisture; Soil surfaces; Soil water; Trends; Variability; Water availability; Weather; Europe
• ISSN: 1607-7938; 1027-5606; 1607-7938
• DOI: 10.5194/hess-26-3731-2022

Global soil water availability is challenged by the effects of climate change and a growing population. On average, 70 % of freshwater extraction is attributed to agriculture, and the demand is increasing. In this study, the effects of climate change on the evolution of the irrigation water requirement to sustain current crop productivity are assessed by using the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) crop growth model AquaCrop version 6.1. The model is run at 0.5"latx0.5"long resolution over the European mainland, assuming a general C3-type of crop, and forced by climate input data from the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project phase three (ISIMIP3).