Water: The Foundation of Agricultural Sustainability Conference
Because water scarcity is one of the most urgent challenges confronting farmers and ranchers in the southwestern United States today, Western SARE Professional Development Program and New Mexico State University held the Water: The Foundation of Agricultural Sustainability Conference on August 7 in Santa Fe, N.M.
Drawing together 113 farmers and ranchers, Extension educators and researchers, and other stakeholders from across the Southwest, this conference addressed agriculture’s water challenges—those related to both severe drought and a growing demand by non-farming uses—by sharing some of the latest, most promising technologies and techniques in water-use efficiency. Attendees learned about:
- Balancing ag and urban water use: models for our future
- The acequia system: its role in New Mexico water allocation and its future in local food systems
- Rainwater harvesting in farm, rural and urban settings
- Low-water-use crops for the arid Great Basin
- Higher efficiency orchard irrigation
- Low-tech, lower cost irrigation strategies
- Small-scale hydroelectric generation within irrigation water conveyance systems: making the water work twice
- Renewable-energy technology for water pumping
View Powerpoints from each presenter.
The conference focused on proven, proactive technologies and approaches aimed at making a difference both now and particularly in the years ahead. This one-day conference was developed in response to seven listening sessions held by Western SARE, during which farmers, ranchers and other agricultural professionals ranked water-use efficiency among the top ten priorities for sustainable agriculture research and education.
Download the conference agenda with a list of speakers:
Press articles and videos about the conference:
New Mexico State University News Center
Want more information? Learn more about Smart Water Use on Your Farm or Ranch
