Integration of Climate Data in the SAVi Irrigation Model

The document details how climate indicators from the Copernicus Climate Data Store (CDS)—including precipitation, temperature, and evaporation—are integrated into the SAVi Irrigation model. It provides a literature review on the impacts of temperature and precipitation on crop yields and water requirements, establishes the methodology for calculating net and total irrigation requirements, and presents simulation results for Johannesburg under the IPSL RCP8.5 scenario, projecting a 23% increase in net irrigation requirements by 2090-2100.

• Global crop yields are negatively impacted by temperature increases, with the most significant average reductions occurring in maize (7.4%), wheat (6.0%), rice (3.2%), and soybean (3.1%) per degree-Celsius increase.
• Temperature impacts on maize yields vary by country, with the highest reductions projected in the United States (-10.3 ± 5.4% per °C), followed by China (-8.0 ± 6.1% per °C), Brazil (-5.5 ± 4.5% per °C), and India (-5.2 ± 4.5% per °C).
• In the semi-arid Qazvin Plateau in Iran, projections under RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios indicate that irrigation water requirements for winter wheat and barley will increase by 38%–79%, while fodder maize will see a slight increase of 0.7%–4.1%.
• Solar-powered irrigation systems experience a decrease in efficiency of 0.45% for every 1°C increase in temperature above an optimal threshold of 28°C.
• The SAVi Irrigation model integrates four primary climate indicators from the CDS: irrigation requirements per hectare, total irrigation requirements per hectare (including conveyance loss), indicated surface water supply, and indicated groundwater supply.
• Simulation results for Johannesburg using the IPSL RCP8.5 scenario project that net irrigation requirements per hectare will increase by 23% by the 2090-2100 decade compared to the 1980-1990 baseline, representing an absolute increase of 88 mm per year.
• Improving irrigation efficiency from 50% to 75% would result in a 63.5% net reduction in cumulative irrigation water use (reducing the difference between net and total requirements from 55,871 mm to 20,398 mm per hectare).

APA

Perera, O. (2020). Integration of Climate Data in the SAVi Irrigation Model. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-09/intregration-climate-data-savi-irrigation-model.pdf

Chicago

Perera, Oshani. Integration of Climate Data in the SAVi Irrigation Model. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-09/intregration-climate-data-savi-irrigation-model.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Perera |first1=Oshani |title=Integration of Climate Data in the SAVi Irrigation Model |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=September 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-09/intregration-climate-data-savi-irrigation-model.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{perera2020integration, author = {Perera, Oshani}, title = {{Integration of Climate Data in the SAVi Irrigation Model}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-09/intregration-climate-data-savi-irrigation-model.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }