Water Issues Affecting Local Food Production

The current moment presents a number of unique challenges for water sustainability, including for farmers. When farmers do not have enough water to meet the population’s need for food and goods, the results can be devastating to certain population groups. In his article There Has Never Been a More Important Time to Protect American Food Production, Dan Keppen writes that farmers are facing this water challenge right now.

Due to years-long extreme drought in the west, farmers have been struggling to make ends meet. This has led to a decrease in local agricultural production in the U.S. Unfortunately, this decline comes at a time when the world has been rocked by extreme climate events and global supply chain issues. These challenges make food more costly to produce and purchase.

What makes the situation so urgent is that the need for food is rising. A 2022 GAP Report found that 40 million people around the world experienced “emergency or catastrophic levels” of food insecurity. To meet the population’s growing needs, agricultural output will have to increase by 1.73 percent each year. Keppen writes that bringing U.S. communities the nutritious, affordable food they need will require an increase in local agricultural production.

To learn more about water use and conservation, check out Dan Keppen’s previous blog “There’s a Crisis on the Colorado River.” The article explores the challenges faced by farmers when their water access is reduced. Though reduced water access may be done in an effort to conserve, the reduction can lead to food shortages and financial insecurity for local communities. With so many interests involved, the situation in the west illustrates that a solution to water issues will have to be complex and innovative.