There are a variety of ways that
farmers can cut back on their water use.
Photo credit: USDA NRCS
Transcript of the Audio Podcast:
farmers can cut back on their water use.
Photo credit: USDA NRCS
Planting the seeds for water conservation… on this CurrentCast.
In light of California’s drought, water conservation is critical. So David Runsten of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers in Davis, California helps farmers find new ways to cut back.
Runsten’s recommendations are crop and location specific. But examples include monitoring soil moisture to optimize watering; switching from flood-based to drip irrigation; no-till farming, and adding compost to help the soil retain water.
Runsten: “We need people to go out and work with the farmers. They don’t necessarily know what these different techniques consist of. So it just requires a lot of workshops and on-farm demonstrations.”
Photo credit: USDA NRCS
Support for CurrentCast comes from the Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas. Learn more online at http://www.current-cast.org.
Learn More:
- “Water-saving techniques should be taught to farmers, study urges” from the Modesto Bee
- Community Alliance with Family Farmers
- “As California’s Drought Goes On, What Can Farmers Do?” from Civil Eats
- “Can California Conserve Its Way Through Drought?” from National Geographic
