Decoupling agricultural water consumption and environmental impact from crop production based on the water footprint method: A case study for the Heilongjiang land reclamation area, China

• Economic growth depends on resource use and often causes environmental pressure.
• The decoupling state has been adopted as a policy goal now.
• Water footprint indicators reveal dual properties of water use in crop growth.
• This research focuses on decoupling agricultural water from crop growth.
• This decoupling analysis contributes to agricultural water management.

Crop production consumes and pollutes large volumes of water. Previous literature predominantly discusses a single indicator of agricultural water consumption or environmental impact from crop production. This study integrates a water footprint method into a decoupling analysis. The water footprint method uses multidimensional indicators to illustrate agricultural water consumed or polluted in crop production according to its elements and sources. Using the largest commodity grain in China during the years 2000–2009 as a case study, this research focuses on the analysis of decoupling agricultural water consumption and environmental impact from crop production based on two indexes, DY−WC and DY−WEI. The results show the following: (1) a strong decoupling trend occurred more in the analysis of decoupling agricultural water consumption from crop production; (2) weak decoupling occurred more often in the analysis of decoupling agricultural water environmental impact from crop production.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide