In the US, for instance, as much as 30 per cent of food, worth USD 48.3 billion approximately, is thrown away each year, the report prepared by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) estimates. And while it elaborates on the food wastage, the report goes on to stress that wasted food implies wasted water, another major concern. That implies, if US wastes thirty per cent of food, it’s like leaving a “tap running and pouring 40 trillion litres of water into the garbage can – enough water to meet the household needs of 500 million people”, the report says.
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Source: http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/1C9A1D2
Population pressure and increasing water competition in a changing climate require us to take stock of the availability and use of water across scales. Water availability not only influences farmers’ commercial prospects but also irrigation-related enterprises and agri-businesses. Greater water scarcity could jeopardize irrigation and agricultural markets while excessive water use can lead to declining ecosystems, water quality and soil health. IWMI advises development partners and the public and private sectors on all aspects of water resource availability and use through a variety of advanced modeling and remote-sensing products and tools, including 
The ability of farmers to engage in or expand irrigation depends on the prevailing socioeconomic, ecological and political contexts, which are often complex, non-linear and changeable. Overcoming systemic barriers to farmer-led irrigation development while taking advantage of existing opportunities 
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Scaling farmer-led irrigation requires strengthening human capacity and knowledge exchange among all actors and stakeholders involved. IWMI takes an action research approach, working with national and international research institutions, governments, extension agents and public and private organizations to co-develop the scaling ecosystem and strengthen capacity to drive scaling networks and collective action. We support the