Dry Farming Could Be the Key to More Sustainable Agriculture

By Gina Wynn

Growing fruits and vegetables and raising livestock requires a lot of water. On average, farms account for 70 percent of our global water usage annually, and in California—where a third of U.S. vegetables are grown—agriculture accounts for around 80 percent of the water usage.

A Greener Alternative

As temperatures rise and western states experience more water shortages and droughts, farmers are looking to dry farming as a more environmentally responsible way to grow produce.

Dry farming still involves water, but it doesn’t rely on the traditional irrigation methods of delivering water to crops above ground via pipes, canals, and sprinklers. Instead, dry-farmed plants rely on underground moisture stores for sustenance. For dry farming to work, you need to plant in an environment with a rainy season followed by a dry season. First, rainwater needs to be able to soak into the soil so when the land dries out, plant roots can find and suck up moisture as needed from below ground.

A Wise Choice in the West

Conditions are right for states in the western U.S. to practice this type of agriculture. Farmers in California and Oregon have already seen success with harvests of tomatoes, potatoes, squash, corn, watermelons, and more, according to the Science News article “Dry farming could help agriculture in the western U.S. amid climate change.”

Some benefits of dry farming include that it drastically cuts down on water usage at a time when erratic weather patterns are being linked to climate change. Farmers not only save on water bills, they also avoid having to purchase supplies like sprinklers, drip tape, and hosing—often made of plastic—which only gets used for a couple of seasons.

Financial Benefits and Better Flavor

Dry farming also enables farmers to use land in areas without irrigation that may have otherwise remained unplanted. And without irrigation, less weeds grow. Weeds thrive in traditional farming conditions because seeds that live in the top few inches of soil feed on the moisture that pools during above-ground sprinkling. Less of a need for weeding can also cut labor costs.

Because dry-farmed produce contains less water, it also lasts longer. This enables farmers to sell fruits and vegetables during the slower winter seasons and results in less food waste. The lower water content also contributes to a richer taste because it doesn’t dilute the complex flavors acquired from minerals accessible in the deeper soil.

Smaller Harvests, Higher Prices

Dry farming is not without drawbacks, however. Crops require more space to grow because they need to be planted at distances where they won’t have to compete for water. For example, tomatoes need to be placed nearly 21.528 square feet apart for dry farming, where they only need around 23.6 inches of separation and 3.281 feet between rows on irrigated farms.

Their absorption of less water also results in smaller-sized produce, which may not be as desirable to shoppers, and smaller harvests drive prices higher.

In our market economy based on supply and demand, widespread adoption of dry farming may not be practical. However, it still may prove a wise investment for environmentally conscious, small-scale fruit and vegetable growers, especially in areas where water resources are scarce.