Irrigation infrastructure development in the Limarí Basin in Central Chile: implications for adaptation to climate variability and climate change
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Date
2014
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Abstract
One option to deal with climate variability in agriculture is to build irrigation infrastructure, although
this may lead to the overdevelopment of water resources, leading to ‘basin closure’. The Limarí
Basin, in central north Chile, has relied on irrigation infrastructure over the last 30 years to increase
water supply reliability and extend irrigated acreage, especially for permanent crops. This situation
has reduced adaptation opportunities in the basin, which is currently experiencing a severe drought
that, according to climate change projections, is expected to persist in the future, with important
consequences for the sustainability of agriculture production.
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Keywords
Irrigation infrastructure, Water and land-use policy, Irrigation efficiency, Climate
change, Climate variability, Central Chile