John G. Lyon Prasad S. Thenkabail Chandrashekhar M. Biradar Hugh Turral John G. Lyon Prasad S. Thenkabail 2009 <p><span>This book opens a new pathway for global mapping that is focused on a specific land use theme, such as irrigated or rain-fed croplands and classes within these themes. Since croplands use most of the water consumed by humans, specific knowledge of irrigated and rain-fed croplands will be critical for precise estimates of water use. At present and in the coming decades, irrigated and rain-fed cropland area mapping is crucial for food security studies. Throughout this book, various subjects pertaining to global croplands are discussed comprehensively.</span></p> application/pdf 10.1201/9781420090109 en CRC Press Remote sensing of global croplands for food security: Way forward chapter