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Rice — like on this farm in Kpong, Ghana — is the largest blue water user.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby/IWMI
Global water use for crops surged by nine per cent in a decade
By Davy Vanham
Agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, both in terms of blue and green water. Blue water is water in rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Green water is the moisture stored in soil, originating from precipitation and eventually evaporating through and from plants and soils. Irrigated agriculture receives blue water and green water whereas rain-fed agriculture receives only green water. Other sectors such as domestic water supply, industry and power plants use only blue water resources.
New data produced with CropGBWater shows a nine per cent increase in global crop water use from 2010 to 2020, indicating growing pressure on food and water systems worldwide. CropGBWater is a a Python-based global gridded crop green and blue WC assessment tool, developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the University of Alabama and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Why is global crop water use rising?
Due to population growth and changes in lifestyles including dietary changes, global crop production has steadily increased over the past decades.Tomeet these increasing demands for food, feed and biofuels, the total land under cultivation has increased by 19 per cent since 2000. This is because farmers are expanding into areas such as grasslands or natural ecosystems such as forests or wetlands. Because more crops are grown on these additional areas, the overall water consumption for crops increases.
Agricultural demand for water is also rising because specific crops are grown much more than in the past. Over 20 years, the water footprint of five major crops has risen by 23 to 82 per cent— notably cassava (+82 %), soybeans (+60 %) and maize (+45 %). Studies show that this is due to both human choices such as modern farming practices and the use of fertilisers, and changes in climate, driven by altered rainfall patterns and higher temperatures.
What does the rise in global crop water use mean for people and the environment?
Billions of people already live under water-stressed conditions. The surge in crop water consumption is creating additional pressure on already water stressed river basins such as the Indus, Ganges or Yellow river basins that provide food security for millions of people in Asia. In several key basins, the ratio of blue water used for agriculture compared to renewable blue water available has risen, and in some cases it now exceeds 100 per cent. This means that environmental flows are violated, leaving less water for ecosystems that also support agriculture and fisheries. This overuse also makes agriculture more vulnerable to droughts. While water is essential for food security, increasing its use for crops can deplete rivers, lakes and groundwater, leaving less for drinking water, sanitation, industry and energy.
As shown by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, expanding agricultural land into forested areas changes green water flows and the hydrological cycle. This alters rainfall patterns, which can have a negative impact on agriculture. A famous example is the expansion of agricultural areas for crops such as soybeans at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. When a certain tipping point is reached, the rainforest might lose the ability to sustain itself and begin an irreversible transformation into a vast savannah. This would be disastrous for regional agricultural production.
Understanding global crop water use will enable countries to better prepare for water shortages in the future
This growing demand shows why we need smarter ways to manage water to support both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. Some solutions include producing more food with less water, cultivating less water demanding crops in water stressed river basins, shifting to more plant-based diets among affluent populations and reducing food losses and waste along the supply chain. Also essential is integrated water management across different sectors.
CropGBWater helps track how water is used in agriculture, which is key to tackling these challenges. The tool shows where water is most needed and where shortages may occur. For example, it can help farmers decide when to irrigate their rice fields, guide communities on which wells or rivers to draw from during dry months and help policymakers make better decisions to ensure water needs are met for all sectors.
CropGBWater is an open access tool that has been designed for use by any stakeholder with basic modelling skills, and, with its easy accessibility and open-source input data, is of significant value to users in the Global South who often lack the funds for data or software acquisition.
Managing water sustainably is not just about farming. It’s about the food on our plates, the water in our homes and the health of our rivers and ecosystems. By providing clear insights into crop water use, CropWaterGB helps people make smarter decisions, protect the environment and ensure a future where both water and food are secure for both people and the environment.
Davy Vanham is a Senior Researcher, Integrated Modeling and Assessment, at the International Water Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Link to full paper:
Davy Vanham et al.: “Global spatially explicit crop water consumption shows an overall increase of 9% for 46 agricultural crops from 2010 to 2020”; Nature Food, October 2025 https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01231-x
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Rice — like on this farm in Kpong, Ghana — is the largest blue water user.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby/IWMI
Global water use for crops surged by nine per cent in a decade
By Davy Vanham
Agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, both in terms of blue and green water. Blue water is water in rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Green water is the moisture stored in soil, originating from precipitation and eventually evaporating through and from plants and soils. Irrigated agriculture receives blue water and green water whereas rain-fed agriculture receives only green water. Other sectors such as domestic water supply, industry and power plants use only blue water resources.
New data produced with CropGBWater shows a nine per cent increase in global crop water use from 2010 to 2020, indicating growing pressure on food and water systems worldwide. CropGBWater is a a Python-based global gridded crop green and blue WC assessment tool, developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the University of Alabama and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Why is global crop water use rising?
Due to population growth and changes in lifestyles including dietary changes, global crop production has steadily increased over the past decades.Tomeet these increasing demands for food, feed and biofuels, the total land under cultivation has increased by 19 per cent since 2000. This is because farmers are expanding into areas such as grasslands or natural ecosystems such as forests or wetlands. Because more crops are grown on these additional areas, the overall water consumption for crops increases.
Agricultural demand for water is also rising because specific crops are grown much more than in the past. Over 20 years, the water footprint of five major crops has risen by 23 to 82 per cent— notably cassava (+82 %), soybeans (+60 %) and maize (+45 %). Studies show that this is due to both human choices such as modern farming practices and the use of fertilisers, and changes in climate, driven by altered rainfall patterns and higher temperatures.
What does the rise in global crop water use mean for people and the environment?
Billions of people already live under water-stressed conditions. The surge in crop water consumption is creating additional pressure on already water stressed river basins such as the Indus, Ganges or Yellow river basins that provide food security for millions of people in Asia. In several key basins, the ratio of blue water used for agriculture compared to renewable blue water available has risen, and in some cases it now exceeds 100 per cent. This means that environmental flows are violated, leaving less water for ecosystems that also support agriculture and fisheries. This overuse also makes agriculture more vulnerable to droughts. While water is essential for food security, increasing its use for crops can deplete rivers, lakes and groundwater, leaving less for drinking water, sanitation, industry and energy.
As shown by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, expanding agricultural land into forested areas changes green water flows and the hydrological cycle. This alters rainfall patterns, which can have a negative impact on agriculture. A famous example is the expansion of agricultural areas for crops such as soybeans at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. When a certain tipping point is reached, the rainforest might lose the ability to sustain itself and begin an irreversible transformation into a vast savannah. This would be disastrous for regional agricultural production.
Understanding global crop water use will enable countries to better prepare for water shortages in the future
This growing demand shows why we need smarter ways to manage water to support both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. Some solutions include producing more food with less water, cultivating less water demanding crops in water stressed river basins, shifting to more plant-based diets among affluent populations and reducing food losses and waste along the supply chain. Also essential is integrated water management across different sectors.
CropGBWater helps track how water is used in agriculture, which is key to tackling these challenges. The tool shows where water is most needed and where shortages may occur. For example, it can help farmers decide when to irrigate their rice fields, guide communities on which wells or rivers to draw from during dry months and help policymakers make better decisions to ensure water needs are met for all sectors.
CropGBWater is an open access tool that has been designed for use by any stakeholder with basic modelling skills, and, with its easy accessibility and open-source input data, is of significant value to users in the Global South who often lack the funds for data or software acquisition.
Managing water sustainably is not just about farming. It’s about the food on our plates, the water in our homes and the health of our rivers and ecosystems. By providing clear insights into crop water use, CropWaterGB helps people make smarter decisions, protect the environment and ensure a future where both water and food are secure for both people and the environment.
Davy Vanham is a Senior Researcher, Integrated Modeling and Assessment, at the International Water Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Link to full paper:
Davy Vanham et al.: “Global spatially explicit crop water consumption shows an overall increase of 9% for 46 agricultural crops from 2010 to 2020”; Nature Food, October 2025 https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01231-x
Rice — like on this farm in Kpong, Ghana — is the largest blue water user.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby/IWMI
Global water use for crops surged by nine per cent in a decade
By Davy Vanham
Agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, both in terms of blue and green water. Blue water is water in rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Green water is the moisture stored in soil, originating from precipitation and eventually evaporating through and from plants and soils. Irrigated agriculture receives blue water and green water whereas rain-fed agriculture receives only green water. Other sectors such as domestic water supply, industry and power plants use only blue water resources.
New data produced with CropGBWater shows a nine per cent increase in global crop water use from 2010 to 2020, indicating growing pressure on food and water systems worldwide. CropGBWater is a a Python-based global gridded crop green and blue WC assessment tool, developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the University of Alabama and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Why is global crop water use rising?
Due to population growth and changes in lifestyles including dietary changes, global crop production has steadily increased over the past decades.Tomeet these increasing demands for food, feed and biofuels, the total land under cultivation has increased by 19 per cent since 2000. This is because farmers are expanding into areas such as grasslands or natural ecosystems such as forests or wetlands. Because more crops are grown on these additional areas, the overall water consumption for crops increases.
Agricultural demand for water is also rising because specific crops are grown much more than in the past. Over 20 years, the water footprint of five major crops has risen by 23 to 82 per cent— notably cassava (+82 %), soybeans (+60 %) and maize (+45 %). Studies show that this is due to both human choices such as modern farming practices and the use of fertilisers, and changes in climate, driven by altered rainfall patterns and higher temperatures.
What does the rise in global crop water use mean for people and the environment?
Billions of people already live under water-stressed conditions. The surge in crop water consumption is creating additional pressure on already water stressed river basins such as the Indus, Ganges or Yellow river basins that provide food security for millions of people in Asia. In several key basins, the ratio of blue water used for agriculture compared to renewable blue water available has risen, and in some cases it now exceeds 100 per cent. This means that environmental flows are violated, leaving less water for ecosystems that also support agriculture and fisheries. This overuse also makes agriculture more vulnerable to droughts. While water is essential for food security, increasing its use for crops can deplete rivers, lakes and groundwater, leaving less for drinking water, sanitation, industry and energy.
As shown by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, expanding agricultural land into forested areas changes green water flows and the hydrological cycle. This alters rainfall patterns, which can have a negative impact on agriculture. A famous example is the expansion of agricultural areas for crops such as soybeans at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. When a certain tipping point is reached, the rainforest might lose the ability to sustain itself and begin an irreversible transformation into a vast savannah. This would be disastrous for regional agricultural production.
Understanding global crop water use will enable countries to better prepare for water shortages in the future
This growing demand shows why we need smarter ways to manage water to support both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. Some solutions include producing more food with less water, cultivating less water demanding crops in water stressed river basins, shifting to more plant-based diets among affluent populations and reducing food losses and waste along the supply chain. Also essential is integrated water management across different sectors.
CropGBWater helps track how water is used in agriculture, which is key to tackling these challenges. The tool shows where water is most needed and where shortages may occur. For example, it can help farmers decide when to irrigate their rice fields, guide communities on which wells or rivers to draw from during dry months and help policymakers make better decisions to ensure water needs are met for all sectors.
CropGBWater is an open access tool that has been designed for use by any stakeholder with basic modelling skills, and, with its easy accessibility and open-source input data, is of significant value to users in the Global South who often lack the funds for data or software acquisition.
Managing water sustainably is not just about farming. It’s about the food on our plates, the water in our homes and the health of our rivers and ecosystems. By providing clear insights into crop water use, CropWaterGB helps people make smarter decisions, protect the environment and ensure a future where both water and food are secure for both people and the environment.
Davy Vanham is a Senior Researcher, Integrated Modeling and Assessment, at the International Water Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Link to full paper:
Davy Vanham et al.: “Global spatially explicit crop water consumption shows an overall increase of 9% for 46 agricultural crops from 2010 to 2020”; Nature Food, October 2025 https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01231-x
Rice — like on this farm in Kpong, Ghana — is the largest blue water user.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby/IWMI
Global water use for crops surged by nine per cent in a decade
By Davy Vanham
Agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, both in terms of blue and green water. Blue water is water in rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Green water is the moisture stored in soil, originating from precipitation and eventually evaporating through and from plants and soils. Irrigated agriculture receives blue water and green water whereas rain-fed agriculture receives only green water. Other sectors such as domestic water supply, industry and power plants use only blue water resources.
New data produced with CropGBWater shows a nine per cent increase in global crop water use from 2010 to 2020, indicating growing pressure on food and water systems worldwide. CropGBWater is a a Python-based global gridded crop green and blue WC assessment tool, developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the University of Alabama and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Why is global crop water use rising?
Due to population growth and changes in lifestyles including dietary changes, global crop production has steadily increased over the past decades.Tomeet these increasing demands for food, feed and biofuels, the total land under cultivation has increased by 19 per cent since 2000. This is because farmers are expanding into areas such as grasslands or natural ecosystems such as forests or wetlands. Because more crops are grown on these additional areas, the overall water consumption for crops increases.
Agricultural demand for water is also rising because specific crops are grown much more than in the past. Over 20 years, the water footprint of five major crops has risen by 23 to 82 per cent— notably cassava (+82 %), soybeans (+60 %) and maize (+45 %). Studies show that this is due to both human choices such as modern farming practices and the use of fertilisers, and changes in climate, driven by altered rainfall patterns and higher temperatures.
What does the rise in global crop water use mean for people and the environment?
Billions of people already live under water-stressed conditions. The surge in crop water consumption is creating additional pressure on already water stressed river basins such as the Indus, Ganges or Yellow river basins that provide food security for millions of people in Asia. In several key basins, the ratio of blue water used for agriculture compared to renewable blue water available has risen, and in some cases it now exceeds 100 per cent. This means that environmental flows are violated, leaving less water for ecosystems that also support agriculture and fisheries. This overuse also makes agriculture more vulnerable to droughts. While water is essential for food security, increasing its use for crops can deplete rivers, lakes and groundwater, leaving less for drinking water, sanitation, industry and energy.
As shown by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, expanding agricultural land into forested areas changes green water flows and the hydrological cycle. This alters rainfall patterns, which can have a negative impact on agriculture. A famous example is the expansion of agricultural areas for crops such as soybeans at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. When a certain tipping point is reached, the rainforest might lose the ability to sustain itself and begin an irreversible transformation into a vast savannah. This would be disastrous for regional agricultural production.
Understanding global crop water use will enable countries to better prepare for water shortages in the future
This growing demand shows why we need smarter ways to manage water to support both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. Some solutions include producing more food with less water, cultivating less water demanding crops in water stressed river basins, shifting to more plant-based diets among affluent populations and reducing food losses and waste along the supply chain. Also essential is integrated water management across different sectors.
CropGBWater helps track how water is used in agriculture, which is key to tackling these challenges. The tool shows where water is most needed and where shortages may occur. For example, it can help farmers decide when to irrigate their rice fields, guide communities on which wells or rivers to draw from during dry months and help policymakers make better decisions to ensure water needs are met for all sectors.
CropGBWater is an open access tool that has been designed for use by any stakeholder with basic modelling skills, and, with its easy accessibility and open-source input data, is of significant value to users in the Global South who often lack the funds for data or software acquisition.
Managing water sustainably is not just about farming. It’s about the food on our plates, the water in our homes and the health of our rivers and ecosystems. By providing clear insights into crop water use, CropWaterGB helps people make smarter decisions, protect the environment and ensure a future where both water and food are secure for both people and the environment.
Davy Vanham is a Senior Researcher, Integrated Modeling and Assessment, at the International Water Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Link to full paper:
Davy Vanham et al.: “Global spatially explicit crop water consumption shows an overall increase of 9% for 46 agricultural crops from 2010 to 2020”; Nature Food, October 2025 https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01231-x
Rice — like on this farm in Kpong, Ghana — is the largest blue water user.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby/IWMI
Global water use for crops surged by nine per cent in a decade
By Davy Vanham
Agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, both in terms of blue and green water. Blue water is water in rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Green water is the moisture stored in soil, originating from precipitation and eventually evaporating through and from plants and soils. Irrigated agriculture receives blue water and green water whereas rain-fed agriculture receives only green water. Other sectors such as domestic water supply, industry and power plants use only blue water resources.
New data produced with CropGBWater shows a nine per cent increase in global crop water use from 2010 to 2020, indicating growing pressure on food and water systems worldwide. CropGBWater is a a Python-based global gridded crop green and blue WC assessment tool, developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the University of Alabama and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Why is global crop water use rising?
Due to population growth and changes in lifestyles including dietary changes, global crop production has steadily increased over the past decades.Tomeet these increasing demands for food, feed and biofuels, the total land under cultivation has increased by 19 per cent since 2000. This is because farmers are expanding into areas such as grasslands or natural ecosystems such as forests or wetlands. Because more crops are grown on these additional areas, the overall water consumption for crops increases.
Agricultural demand for water is also rising because specific crops are grown much more than in the past. Over 20 years, the water footprint of five major crops has risen by 23 to 82 per cent— notably cassava (+82 %), soybeans (+60 %) and maize (+45 %). Studies show that this is due to both human choices such as modern farming practices and the use of fertilisers, and changes in climate, driven by altered rainfall patterns and higher temperatures.
What does the rise in global crop water use mean for people and the environment?
Billions of people already live under water-stressed conditions. The surge in crop water consumption is creating additional pressure on already water stressed river basins such as the Indus, Ganges or Yellow river basins that provide food security for millions of people in Asia. In several key basins, the ratio of blue water used for agriculture compared to renewable blue water available has risen, and in some cases it now exceeds 100 per cent. This means that environmental flows are violated, leaving less water for ecosystems that also support agriculture and fisheries. This overuse also makes agriculture more vulnerable to droughts. While water is essential for food security, increasing its use for crops can deplete rivers, lakes and groundwater, leaving less for drinking water, sanitation, industry and energy.
As shown by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, expanding agricultural land into forested areas changes green water flows and the hydrological cycle. This alters rainfall patterns, which can have a negative impact on agriculture. A famous example is the expansion of agricultural areas for crops such as soybeans at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. When a certain tipping point is reached, the rainforest might lose the ability to sustain itself and begin an irreversible transformation into a vast savannah. This would be disastrous for regional agricultural production.
Understanding global crop water use will enable countries to better prepare for water shortages in the future
This growing demand shows why we need smarter ways to manage water to support both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. Some solutions include producing more food with less water, cultivating less water demanding crops in water stressed river basins, shifting to more plant-based diets among affluent populations and reducing food losses and waste along the supply chain. Also essential is integrated water management across different sectors.
CropGBWater helps track how water is used in agriculture, which is key to tackling these challenges. The tool shows where water is most needed and where shortages may occur. For example, it can help farmers decide when to irrigate their rice fields, guide communities on which wells or rivers to draw from during dry months and help policymakers make better decisions to ensure water needs are met for all sectors.
CropGBWater is an open access tool that has been designed for use by any stakeholder with basic modelling skills, and, with its easy accessibility and open-source input data, is of significant value to users in the Global South who often lack the funds for data or software acquisition.
Managing water sustainably is not just about farming. It’s about the food on our plates, the water in our homes and the health of our rivers and ecosystems. By providing clear insights into crop water use, CropWaterGB helps people make smarter decisions, protect the environment and ensure a future where both water and food are secure for both people and the environment.
Davy Vanham is a Senior Researcher, Integrated Modeling and Assessment, at the International Water Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Link to full paper:
Davy Vanham et al.: “Global spatially explicit crop water consumption shows an overall increase of 9% for 46 agricultural crops from 2010 to 2020”; Nature Food, October 2025 https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01231-x
Rice — like on this farm in Kpong, Ghana — is the largest blue water user.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby/IWMI
Global water use for crops surged by nine per cent in a decade
By Davy Vanham
Agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, both in terms of blue and green water. Blue water is water in rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Green water is the moisture stored in soil, originating from precipitation and eventually evaporating through and from plants and soils. Irrigated agriculture receives blue water and green water whereas rain-fed agriculture receives only green water. Other sectors such as domestic water supply, industry and power plants use only blue water resources.
New data produced with CropGBWater shows a nine per cent increase in global crop water use from 2010 to 2020, indicating growing pressure on food and water systems worldwide. CropGBWater is a a Python-based global gridded crop green and blue WC assessment tool, developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the University of Alabama and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Why is global crop water use rising?
Due to population growth and changes in lifestyles including dietary changes, global crop production has steadily increased over the past decades.Tomeet these increasing demands for food, feed and biofuels, the total land under cultivation has increased by 19 per cent since 2000. This is because farmers are expanding into areas such as grasslands or natural ecosystems such as forests or wetlands. Because more crops are grown on these additional areas, the overall water consumption for crops increases.
Agricultural demand for water is also rising because specific crops are grown much more than in the past. Over 20 years, the water footprint of five major crops has risen by 23 to 82 per cent— notably cassava (+82 %), soybeans (+60 %) and maize (+45 %). Studies show that this is due to both human choices such as modern farming practices and the use of fertilisers, and changes in climate, driven by altered rainfall patterns and higher temperatures.
What does the rise in global crop water use mean for people and the environment?
Billions of people already live under water-stressed conditions. The surge in crop water consumption is creating additional pressure on already water stressed river basins such as the Indus, Ganges or Yellow river basins that provide food security for millions of people in Asia. In several key basins, the ratio of blue water used for agriculture compared to renewable blue water available has risen, and in some cases it now exceeds 100 per cent. This means that environmental flows are violated, leaving less water for ecosystems that also support agriculture and fisheries. This overuse also makes agriculture more vulnerable to droughts. While water is essential for food security, increasing its use for crops can deplete rivers, lakes and groundwater, leaving less for drinking water, sanitation, industry and energy.
As shown by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, expanding agricultural land into forested areas changes green water flows and the hydrological cycle. This alters rainfall patterns, which can have a negative impact on agriculture. A famous example is the expansion of agricultural areas for crops such as soybeans at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. When a certain tipping point is reached, the rainforest might lose the ability to sustain itself and begin an irreversible transformation into a vast savannah. This would be disastrous for regional agricultural production.
Understanding global crop water use will enable countries to better prepare for water shortages in the future
This growing demand shows why we need smarter ways to manage water to support both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. Some solutions include producing more food with less water, cultivating less water demanding crops in water stressed river basins, shifting to more plant-based diets among affluent populations and reducing food losses and waste along the supply chain. Also essential is integrated water management across different sectors.
CropGBWater helps track how water is used in agriculture, which is key to tackling these challenges. The tool shows where water is most needed and where shortages may occur. For example, it can help farmers decide when to irrigate their rice fields, guide communities on which wells or rivers to draw from during dry months and help policymakers make better decisions to ensure water needs are met for all sectors.
CropGBWater is an open access tool that has been designed for use by any stakeholder with basic modelling skills, and, with its easy accessibility and open-source input data, is of significant value to users in the Global South who often lack the funds for data or software acquisition.
Managing water sustainably is not just about farming. It’s about the food on our plates, the water in our homes and the health of our rivers and ecosystems. By providing clear insights into crop water use, CropWaterGB helps people make smarter decisions, protect the environment and ensure a future where both water and food are secure for both people and the environment.
Davy Vanham is a Senior Researcher, Integrated Modeling and Assessment, at the International Water Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Link to full paper:
Davy Vanham et al.: “Global spatially explicit crop water consumption shows an overall increase of 9% for 46 agricultural crops from 2010 to 2020”; Nature Food, October 2025 https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01231-x
