《农业用水:挑战、科技创新、技术措施(英文版)》围绕气候变化的大背景下，我国干旱缺水加剧，农业用水逐年减少，水资源严重不足的现状。论述和回顾了我国农业水资源开发、利用以及节水农业发展现状，引入化学节水的概念，结合国内外最新研究进展，从新型化学节水保水材料、制剂和产品的研发、农业节水应用技术和措施，以及新材料对土壤和作物，乃至整个环境的影响效应等多方面、多角度地阐述了化学节水材料农业领域应用的前沿动态和学术成果。

Water resource is one of the most important natural resources that mankind depends on for survival and development, and one of the controlling factors of the ecology and environment. Global water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population growth in the last century. Moreover, the water scarcity situation is being exacerbated by climate change, especially in the driest areas of the world. Agriculture consumes about 70 percent of all freshwater withdrawn and up to 95 percent in several developing countries. To tackle water scarcity even as the demand for food increases, we must support initiatives to improve water conservation and delivery systems, protect the earth's ecosystems, conserve rain-fed moisture and use water for food production more efficiently, or produce more food with proportionately less water. Coping with water scarcity requires addressing a range of issues, not all of them directly linked to agricu- lture. They range from protection of the environment and global warming to fair pricing of water services and equitable distribution of water .for irrigation, industry and household use. This is why not only the agriculture sector, but everyone, international organizations, governments and local communities must share the responsibility.