Agriculture depends on an adequate supply of good quality water for plant and animal production. Safe, reliable water supplies and the accompanying infrastructure are necessary for irrigation, livestock watering, cleaning and processing operations, as well as domestic and potable uses. Agricultural practices also have the potential to impact on both surface and groundwater water quality and supply.
As a significant land use in many watersheds across Canada and a major water consumer, sustainable agriculture has an important contribution to make to sustainable water management to meet economic, human and environmental needs in the long term.