ArticleNature communications2026
Global crop-specific energy demand for irrigation.
Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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7 authors.
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Abstract
Global irrigation expansion is expected to enhance agricultural productivity in underperforming cultivated areas, yet its associated crop-specific energy requirements remain insufficiently quantified. Here, we present a spatially distributed, physically based framework that estimates crop-specific irrigation energy consumption at 10 km resolution worldwide. Currently, irrigation consumes about 1.38 × 10⁹ gigajoules per year, of which three-quarters are used by surface irrigation systems and one-quarter by pressurized systems. Six crops-wheat, rice, maize, cotton, sugarcane, and vegetables-account for 60% of the total irrigated area and energy use. A sustainable expansion of irrigation in rainfed areas would increase irrigation energy consumption by approximately 17%, mostly in the Global South. These findings highlight that the magnitude of irrigation energy demand depends on system type, pumping depth, and climatic aridity. This study links crop-specific irrigation energy costs with productivity gains, guiding integrated planning for sustainable, climate-resilient food production.
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