Editing Irrigation (section)

=== Global overview ===
The scale of irrigation increased dramatically over the 20th century. In 1800, 8 million hectares globally were irrigated, in 1950, 94 million hectares, and in 1990, 235 million hectares. By 1990, 30% of the global food production came from irrigated land.<ref name="ReferenceD">[[#refMcNeill2000|McNeill 2000]] pp.180–181.</ref> Irrigation techniques across the globe includes canals redirecting surface water,<ref name="ReferenceE">[[#refMcNeill2000|McNeill 2000]] pp.174.</ref><ref name="Peterson 2016">[[#refPeterson2016|Peterson 2016]]</ref> [[groundwater]] pumping, and diverting water from dams. National governments lead most irrigation schemes within their borders, but private investors<ref name="ReferenceF">[[#refMcNeill2000|McNeill 2000]] pp.153.</ref> and other nations,<ref name="Peterson 2016" /> especially the [[United States]],<ref name="ReferenceG">[[#refEkbladh2002|Ekbladh 2002]] pp.337.</ref> [[China]],<ref name="ReferenceH">[[#refBosshard2009|Bosshard 2009]].</ref> and European countries like the [[United Kingdom]],<ref name="ReferenceA">[[#refMcNeill2000|McNeill 2000]] pp.169-170.</ref> also fund and organize some schemes within other nations.

By 2021 the global land area equipped for irrigation reached 352 million ha, an increase of 22% from the&nbsp;289 million ha of 2000 and more than twice the 1960s land area equipped for irrigation. The vast majority is located in Asia (70%), where irrigation was a key component of the green revolution; the Americas account for 16% and Europe for 8% of the world total. India (76 million ha) and China (75 million ha) have the largest equipped area for irrigation, far ahead of the United States o fAmerica (27 million ha). China and India also have the largest net gains in equipped area between 2000 and 2020 (+21 million ha for China and +15 million ha for India). All the regions saw increases in the area equipped for irrigation, with Africa growing the fastest (+29%), followed by Asia (+25%), Oceania (+24%), the Americas (+19%) and Europe (+2%).<ref name=":14">{{Cite book |title=World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2023 {{!}} FAO {{!}} Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |url=https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en?details=cc8166en |access-date=2023-12-13 |via=FAODocuments | date=2023 |language=en |doi=10.4060/cc8166en| isbn=978-92-5-138262-2 }}</ref>

Irrigation enables the production of more crops, especially [[cash crop|commodity crops]] in areas which otherwise could not support them. Countries frequently invested in irrigation to increase [[wheat]], [[rice]], or [[cotton]] production, often with the overarching goal of increasing self-sufficiency.<ref name="ReferenceA" />