Towards a Common Methodology for Measuring Irrigation Subsidies

Irrigation accounts for 70 to 90 percent of total water use in developing countries and for more than one third of water use in many Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. The significance of irrigation in increasing agricultural production and in meeting the food-grain requirements of the world has been well recognized. In addition to helping increase agricultural productivity and agricultural production, irrigation has also been credited with helping increase the incomes of farmers, in tackling problems of rural poverty and in keeping prices of food lower than they would otherwise be.