Agricultural water footprint: trends, gaps and pathways to achieving sustainability goals

Agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, intensifying pressure on water resources as climate change and food demand grow. In response, the water footprint (WF) has emerged as a key sustainability indicator, supporting agricultural water governance and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The present study analyses the evolution, structure, and gaps in agricultural water footprint research by combining bibliometric mapping with global agricultural production statistics. The methodology involves (i) compiling a database of 1,574 Scopus-indexed articles addressing the water footprint in agriculture; (ii) data analysis and visualization using Biblioshiny, a Bibliometrix tool that facilitates exploration of conceptual, intellectual, and social structures; and (iii) mapping, systematizing, and interpreting the results to identify key trends, topics, and tools. The results indicate a strong concentration of studies on annual crops, particularly wheat, maize, and rice. In contrast, several perennial crops with higher water footprint receive less scientific attention, despite their potential to exert significant local water pressure. Comparison of scientific output with FAO production data and Water Footprint Network benchmarks reveals a structural misalignment between research focus and crops associated with elevated water demand and regional production pressures. Methodologically, most studies obtain theoretical crop water requirements based on evapotranspiration determination, while empirical validation using field-measured water use remains limited. Recent research increasingly integrates Life Cycle Assessment (ISO 14046), remote sensing, machine learning, and climate-adaptive modelling frameworks. These findings reveal an imbalance in knowledge production and highlight the need to redirect research efforts toward high-impact perennial systems, empirical validation strategies, and technology-enabled water management. Aligning scientific priorities with global production realities is essential to strengthen sustainable agricultural systems and environmental decision-making. • Water footprint research is strongly concentrated on annual crops (wheat, maize, rice). • High-WF perennial crops (coffee, cocoa, almond) remain understudied. • Scientific attention is misaligned with crops exerting high water pressure. • AquaCrop and CROPWAT are robust at field scale; SWAT and WEAP suit watershed scale. • Remote sensing, AI and LCA are emerging tools for WF assessments.