Water and its role in agriculture

Water is essential to life. This is an

important human resource, which causes and ensures economic growth and prosperity. It is also the natural ecosystems and climate regulation framework. Water is important for agriculture, farming and animal husbandry. The main consumer of water is agriculture.

Agriculture
Agriculture is the

oldest human occupation. These developments have made people less dependent on hunting and fishing success, led to a more secure food base. Agricultural production much more reckon with the natural factors. Latvian conditions are suitable livestock, potatoes, grain and vegetable growing and fish farming.

Potato production
Potatoes are the

Latvian "second bread Average yield of potatoes is about 140 c / ha, total production - about 1. million. tons per year. Potato chemical composition consists of water (on average 77%) and dry (23%), so important tothe potato fields are not flooded or dry. Where appropriate, there is applied field irrigation and watering .

Cultivation of grain
Cereal volumes take up from 400 to

500 thousand ha. There were harvested 700 thousand to 1 million.tonnes of grain. Latvians cultivate crops such as: wheat, rye, barley, oats, etc. Water for crop production is mostly used for watering.

Livestock
Livestock farming is the agricultural

sector, which was engaged in domestic production in order to obtain products of animal origin. Livestock production, about 80% of water is used for animals and humans, while the remaining 20% for other purposes.

Fish farming
Since there are many lakes in Latvia

(2256), ponds and reservoirs, the fish farming industry is very promising. Fish farming industry is based on water. Thermal requirements of fish farming facilities: warm water 45% plastic-30%, cold water - 25%. Fish business water supply: surface water ponds - 75%, surface water pools - 16%, recirculating water pools - 9%.