Reallocating crop spatial pattern improves agricultural productivity and irrigation benefits without reducing yields.

The allocation of crop spatial pattern has an appreciable impact on achieving sustainable agricultural development. Crop spatial pattern should be adjusted in accordance with the agricultural environment factors and climate change so that we make full use of agricultural resources to produce more food. However, crop suitability has not been adequately considered in crop patterns, ignoring the fact that the fundamental solution to agricultural water scarcity is to promote crop water productivity (CWP). This study aims to reallocate crop spatial patterns while synergistically improving irrigation benefits and water productivity. To achieve this, we developed a minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model based on ecological movement processes to simulate crop suitability distribution and thus determine crop spatial patterns. The results show that the adjusted crop pattern could increase the regional water productivity by 1.35 times and the net benefits of unit water by 0.94%, and maintained crop yields. Under future climate scenarios, this approach can still ensure irrigation benefits and food security. Therefore, the MCR model provides effective crop patterns and solutions for sustainable agricultural development when facing a complex agricultural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]