Virtual water is an important addendum to how we view a country's water resources. This study examines the virtual water embedded in Jordan's agricultural produce and its impact on future water–energy–food policies. Blue and green virtual waters are calculated from data on rainfall, crop patterns, yields, and water requirements at the district level. Results highlight the advantages of blue water usage in the Jordan Valley and of harnessing more available green water in the Highlands, with both displaying low energy impact. Results also emphasize the high groundwater usage and energy footprint in the Desert regions, signalling a need to rein in groundwater extraction and take advantage of solar power.

This paper synthesizes the spatial and temporal relationship between forest cover and water, as well as its implications for food security in the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Different studies addressing the topic of land cover and hydrology have been reviewed. Analyses of 20–40 year long time series showed little and inconsistent relationships between forest cover change and hydrology on meso-scale (100–1000km2) watersheds. Spatial studies, however, showed stronger relationships between land cover and low flow features such as grasslands and woodlands. Interviews with local communities suggested land cover change impacts are more pronounced at smaller scale (<100km2) watersheds; which is consistent with observational studies on small scale watersheds and farm level plots. The stronger relationships between forests and hydrology at smaller scales suggests land management policies should be oriented to farm level conditions, where water is vital for the food security of subsistence farmers who comprise 86% of the population in the highlands.

During the past three decades, the Pisque watershed in Ecuador's Northern Andes has become the country's principal export-roses producing area. Recently, a new boom of local smallholders have established small rose greenhouses and joined the flower-export business. This has intensified water scarcity and material/discursive conflicts over water use priorities: water to defend local-national food sovereignty or production for export. This paper examines how including peasant flower farms in the capitalist dream – driven by a ‘mimetic desire’ and copying large-scale capitalist flower-farm practices and technologies – generates new intra-community conflicts over collective water rights, extending traditional class-based water conflicts. New allocation principles in Ecuador's progressive 2008 Constitution and 2014 Water Law prioritising food production over flowers' industrial water use are unlikely to benefit smallholder communities. Instead, decision-making power for peasant communities and their water users' associations on water use priority would enable water user prioritization according to smallholders' own preferences.

Water management studies often overlook community diversity, different stakeholders’ values, and frames to claim water rights. Using a political-ecology approach, this article examines an irrigation system in Ecuador’s highlands via Fraser’s principles of justice (recognition, representation, redistribution). Large flower companies and indigenous smallholders frame their arguments differently to legitimize water allocation claims. Framing is effective when it resonates with other stakeholders’ values. Some unexpected findings are explained: most of the water is still used by large companies since communities took control; rules regarding water use differ greatly among sectors in the system; and small flower producers have been appearing recently.

The paper presents lysimeter tests, which have been conducted since 1974 on the amount of water runoff from sodded soil profile under conditions of its diversified use and watering. On the tested area a major portion of the total yearly runoff from grasslands occurs during the growing season due to the amount and distribution of precipitation in this region (c.a. 68 of the total yearly precipitation falls during the growing season). Runoff values from grasslands recorded during the study period varied from 113.7 to 247.1 mm. A significant relationship has been found betwen the amount of water draining away from grassland soil profile and the amount of yield, which was caused either by a method of use (meadow, pasture or 8-15 cm high sward) or by the amount of applied nitrogen fertilization

In order to develop food crops in upland in the tropics area, the potential water resources, such as the availability of soil moisture and surface water can be used as a source of water supply especially during the deficit. Therefore, to develop a sustainable food crop, the water balance analysis is absolutely necessary. The data used were series of climate data (temperature, precipitation, evaporation) for 37-year period (1971-2007) at Japura station, Rengat, Riau, heat index data and soil data (soil moisture at field capacity and permanent wilting point) and the effective rooting depth. Exceeded rainfall probabilities and water balance were analyzed using statistical methods. The results showed that soil moisture conditions were always above the limit of water availability for crops although the water balance was deficit for normal, wet and dry conditions. This shows that food crops can be planted all for the whole year in the research area. ABSTRAK Dalam rangka pengembangan tanaman pangan di lahan tadah hujan/kering di daerah tropik basah, potensi sumberdaya air, baik berupa ketersediaan lengas tanah maupun air permukaan dapat dijadikan sebagai sumber pasokan air terutama pada saat defisit. Oleh sebab itu untuk pengembangan tanaman pangan yang berkelanjutan, maka analisis neraca air mutlak diperlukan. Data yang digunakan berupa data seri iklim (temperatur udara, curah hujan, evaporasi) periode 37 tahun (1971­2007) stasiun Japura, Rengat, Riau, data indeks panas serta data tanah (lengas tanah pada saat kapasitas lapang dan titik layu permanen) serta kedalaman perakaran efektif. Peluang curah hujan terlampaui dan neraca air dianalisis meng­ gunakan metode statistik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keadaan lengas tanah selalu pada batas air tersedia bagi tanaman meskipun neraca air mengalami defisit baik pada kondisi normal, kering maupun basah. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa di wilayah penelitian dapat dilakukan penanaman tanaman pangan sepanjang tahun.