What should we do for water security? A technical review on more yield per water drop

Water scarcity is a global challenge. A severe gap between water supply and demand will arise. Consequently, a large part of the world could face water shortage issues in the near future. Increasing cultivated areas and rapid population growth will intensify water consumption, which may lead to a "drink or grow" situation in many countries. Promoting more yield per water drop (MYWD) ideology for water secure development is critically important because the agriculture sector is the largest water consumer by 70%. In lower-middle and low-income countries, water use in agriculture ranges from 80-90%. Advanced water-saving technologies can reduce water consumption by 35-65%, but adoption is less than 20% of the total irrigated area in most countries. Mission 2050 in agricultural countries would be to cover at least 75% and 85% of land under water-saving technologies, which receive surface and groundwater, respectively. The water-saving technologies can decrease farm-scale water consumption, thus alleviating pressure on water resources. In the water scarcity mitigation agenda, the increasing cultivated area under the water-saving technologies should be mapped well since some researchers believe that the water-saving technologies are increasing cultivated area, thereby jeopardizing the "water-saving goal." This comprehensive review navigated the MYWD concept, discussed strategies, sketched a hydrological model to conserve resources, and highlighted economic feasibility, environmental benefits of water-saving technologies, and further improvements. This study can contribute significantly to the future water policy and measures worldwide.