How do different factors impact agricultural water management?

Abstract

Abstract This study compares the impacts of different factors on agricultural water management in the Americas in the last 50 years. The number of 18 indexes (as the main and sub-main indexes) was selected to assess agricul- tural water management based on their importance and other indexes were not studied due to lack of adequate data. Changes in the main indexes in 2011 showed that concurrent values across regions varied according to the nature of the indexes and conditions of the countries. In the next step, the value of area equipped for irrigation/ cultivated area (10th index) was estimated using the other main indexes. As a result, a list of strengths and weakness for agricultural water management in the Americas in the last 50 years was created. However, The only way to meet sustainable development is to learn from past expe- riences for the improvement of agricultural water man- agement. The desirability of condition for agricultural water management is difficult for Central America (except Belize, which presents a fair status) and it is less than 40% for Greater Antilles (with the exception of Dominican Republic 55%). Guyana is the best country for agricultural water management because its desirability of condition (72%) is more than all the countries in Americas.