Water footprint of sugarcane cultivation in the context of climate change. Analysis of the 2010–2023 Period, Guatemala
Keywords:
Agroclimatology, Climate change, Irrigation, Water resources, Agricultural planningAbstract
Agriculture is one of the largest consumers of freshwater worldwide, especially in intensive crops such as sugarcane. In Guatemala, this crop could increase its water pressure under scenarios of anthropogenic climate change; therefore, this research evaluated the magnitude of the water footprint of sugarcane and its relationship with climate variability. The study was conducted through a literature review and quantitative analysis of secondary data, applying the methodology proposed by Hoekstra and Mekonnen. Climatic and productive data from the period 2010–2023 were used to estimate the green, blue, and grey components of the water footprint, and their relationships with precipitation and temperature were analyzed using linear and multiple regression to identify the factors explaining their interannual variability. The results indicate that the average water footprint was 1,429.34 m³·ton⁻¹, with a relative contribution of 73.8% for the green water footprint (1,055.28 m³·ton⁻¹), 20.9% for the blue water footprint (298.23 m³·ton⁻¹), and 5.3% for the grey water footprint (75.80 m³·ton⁻¹). The green water footprint showed a direct dependence on precipitation, while the blue water footprint increased in warmer and drier years, evidencing greater dependence on irrigation under water deficit conditions. The grey water footprint was indirectly associated with irrigation intensification and agricultural management. Although the green component dominates the crop’s water consumption, the blue water footprint represents the main component of vulnerability to climate variability in Guatemala, due to its sensitivity to water deficits and its direct implication in irrigation water extraction.
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