Guest editorial

Excerpt

The purpose of irrigation is to produce food and fiber. Our success is evident in any grocery store produce isle. Over 80% of the fresh fruit and vegetables produced in the U.S. are grown with irrigation.

In the United States, nearly 40% of the total crop value is produced on 15% of the harvested crop land that is irrigated. The crop value output from these 42 million acres is three to four times that from the remaining harvested land. With irrigation, we control a critical input that results in production of high yield, high quality crops. The additional control and reduced risk with irrigation, allows farmers to make the high investments necessary to grow high-value specialty crops.

Worldwide, the dependence on irrigation is even greater. Historically, irrigated agriculture has provided stable food supplies that enabled civilizations to grow and flourish. Today, 600 million acres of land are irrigated—about 16% of the global crop land. Average yields from irrigated land are twice that from non-irrigated crop land, so that the irrigated land produces one-third of the world food supply. About 70% of irrigated land is in developing countries, and in several countries in Asia, large populations …