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Other farmers working hard to save water

They are adopting more precise irrigation practices, such as drip and sprinkle irrigation.

For example, many farmers in Nepal and India now regularly use low-cost drip irrigation to

grow vegetables.

In sub-Saharan Africa, just a little water - combined with improved crop varieties, fertiliser

and soil management - can go a long way.

Farmers can double the yield per hectare they currently harvest, and double the amount of

food produced per unit of water.

Over the last two decades in Asia, sales of pumps that allow farmers to more reliably and

precisely apply water to their crops, have skyrocketed.

Rice farmers in the region are now also saving water by a practice known as "wet and dry"irrigation, rather than following the traditional practice of keeping rice fields constantly

flooded.

Also, many farming communities are getting organised into associations for more effective

irrigation management.

Compare Californias Water Issue with Singapore

- What is the problem and How are they solving it and is it effective?

Conservation is a good idea, but it won't do much good for California, no matter how diligentresidents are about turning off the tap while brushing or the number of low-flush toilets they

install, not unless farmers are forced to conserve water as well.

It is a simple matter of discrimination. Why is the agricultural industry exempted from

mandatory conservation when it consumes anunreal 80% of California's water? There won't

be much conservation going on even if every living soul in California up and moves to

another state. Because no matter how much water city dwellers save, it'll be sucked up by

wealthy corporate farmers who are always on the lookout for more taxpayer-subsidized wet

wealth. And with water trading for a minimum at ten times what they pay for it on the openmarket, every gallon a city dweller conserves will end up as cash in the personal bank

account of some wealthy corporate farmers. It's all part of the master plan because, even as

the governor talks up urban conservation, he tries his darnedest to get them more water.

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Professor Asit BiswasBy improving water governance and good

leadership, both Singapore and Phnom Penh ensured 24-hour supply of waterof drinkable quality.

Consumers, rich and poor, pay for the water they receive, and both Singapore and Phnom

Penh water utilities are autonomous corporations which are now consistently profitable.

Phnom Penh Water Supply reduced its losses from 73% to 6% (a performance better than

London, Paris or Los Angeles), within a decade, eliminated corruption completely, its profit

has increased each year during the past decade, and consumers pay for its entire operation

and maintenance costs. Donors are now fighting with each other to have the privilege of

providing loans to the Phnom Penh Authority. If Phnom Penh can solve its urban water

problems in significantly less than a decade with all its turbulent history, other Asian

countries should also be able to provide their urban citizens 24-hours continuous watersupply. If they are unable to do so, it could be due to bad management practices and a host of

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other factors such as physical scarcities of water, lack of investment funds, management and

technical capacities, and availability of technology. That said, affluent Asian countries have a

responsibility to put in place good water governance.