Moreover, the region is affected by rapid population growth, insufficient food production, degradation of agricultural lands, pollution of agricultural water resources, insufficient human resources, and other factors. Developing nations have limited resources and exponentially increasing populations. Increases in agricultural production will be necessary, requiring increases in irrigated land and energy consumption. Energy resources are especially limited and sustainable agriculture will require increased use of energy resources. To achieve sustainable agricultural development, irrigation should be planned and managed in such a way as to conserve both water and energy.
Most countries have problems of salinization due to inefficient use of water.
Drainage problems affect large areas of land in Latin America and in many cases these problems are compounded by salinization. Thus, in Argentina 555,000 hectares are in need of drainage. In Costa Rica, projects for rehabilitation through drainage exceed 60,000 ha, including lands formerly owned by a banana company in the Southern portion of the country and land previously converted to rice fields in the Atlantic District. In spite of the efforts made to control water pollution, the region is experiencing a continuous decline in the quality of water for agricultural use. The use of untreated water in irrigation is a widespread practice in the region.