Three Ways California Agriculture Can Reduce Water Use

Almost the entire state of California is suffering from the fourth year of a historic drought. California is also the state with the largest agricultural sector in the U.S. Half of the domestically grown fruit, nuts and vegetables are grown in the golden state, which leads the nation in value of agricultural products. 

California agriculture uses much water, about 80 percent of the state’s water supply. The state’s agriculture has a tremendous economic value. In 2013, the value of California agriculture’s exports accounted for $21.24 billion in value. California’s agriculture ranks between fifth and ninth globally, ahead of Canada and Mexico, which makes it one of the top 10 global economies. 

Given the economic value of California’s agriculture, it is clear that something must be done to reduce water use. Some folks say we simply can’t innovate our way to water solutions in a drought afflicted state. However, here are three innovations that can help California farmers reduce their water use. 

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Photo: njhdiver ​

Gina-Marie Cheeseman is a central California-based journalist who writes about sustainability, environmental issues, and healthy living. With a degree in journalism and a passion for social responsibility, she writes for a number of online publications. She believes that collaboration between the public and private sectors can help solve many problems facing the planet and its people. Mashable.com named Cheeseman as one of the “75 Environmentalists to Follow on Twitter.”