Devi et al. (2026) Assessment of Crop Water Requirements and Irrigation Scheduling under Climate Change Scenarios using the FAO-CROPWAT Model: A Review

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Identification

• Journal: Journal of Scientific Research and Reports
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-03-07
• Authors: B. Sarojini Devi, E. Manjunatha
• DOI: 10.9734/jsrr/2026/v32i34047

Research Groups

This review synthesizes findings from numerous research groups and institutions globally that published peer-reviewed studies applying the FAO–CROPWAT model between 1994 and 2024.

Short Summary

This review synthesizes 22 studies applying the FAO–CROPWAT model to assess agricultural water demand and irrigation planning, confirming its reliability as a decision-support tool for climate-resilient water management amidst regional variability and projected increases in future irrigation requirements due to climate change.

Objective

• To synthesize the application of the FAO–CROPWAT model for estimating evapotranspiration, seasonal crop water demand, and irrigation planning across diverse agro-climatic regions, including under climate change scenarios, and to evaluate its utility as a decision-support tool for agricultural water management.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Field-scale to command-area-scale, across diverse agro-climatic regions globally.
• Temporal Scale: Seasonal crop growth stages, multi-year climate change projections, and a review period spanning 1994 to 2024 for the included studies.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: FAO–CROPWAT model, specifically utilizing the FAO Penman–Monteith method for reference evapotranspiration estimation.
• Data sources: Synthesis of 22 peer-reviewed scientific studies published between 1994 and 2024. These studies themselves relied on various data, including climatic conditions, crop types, growth stages, soil properties, and irrigation efficiency data, often incorporating climate change scenarios.

Main Results

• Substantial regional variability in seasonal water demand was observed, influenced by crop type, growth stage, climatic conditions, soil properties, and irrigation efficiency.
• A consistent stage-wise pattern of water demand was identified across crops, with minimum demand during the initial stage, increasing through development, peaking at mid-season, and declining toward maturity.
• Effective rainfall significantly reduced irrigation dependence in humid regions, whereas semi-arid areas exhibited greater reliance on supplemental irrigation due to high evaporative demand.
• Climate projections consistently indicate rising evapotranspiration and increased future irrigation requirements under warming scenarios and altered precipitation regimes.
• The FAO–CROPWAT model is confirmed as a reliable decision-support tool for irrigation scheduling and climate-resilient water management, supporting sustainable agricultural production and long-term food security.

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive synthesis of the application and findings from 22 peer-reviewed studies utilizing the FAO–CROPWAT model over a 30-year period (1994–2024).
• Systematically assesses the model's utility for estimating field- and command-area–scale water requirements, including its application in climate change scenarios.
• Confirms the FAO–CROPWAT model's reliability and effectiveness as a decision-support tool for irrigation scheduling and climate-resilient water management.
• Highlights key factors influencing regional variability in crop water demand and projects future irrigation needs under changing climatic conditions.

Funding

No specific funding projects, programs, or reference codes were mentioned in the provided paper text.

Citation

@article{Devi2026Assessment,
  author = {Devi, B. Sarojini and Manjunatha, E.},
  title = {Assessment of Crop Water Requirements and Irrigation Scheduling under Climate Change Scenarios using the FAO-CROPWAT Model: A Review},
  journal = {Journal of Scientific Research and Reports},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.9734/jsrr/2026/v32i34047},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.9734/jsrr/2026/v32i34047}
}