Minnetonka, Minnesota, USA
May 5, 2013
Op-Ed by David Morgan, president, Syngenta Seeds Inc., Minnetonka, Minn.
Lincoln Journal Star
Over the next 15 years, nearly 40 percent of the global population will experience severe water use challenges, and a typical U.S. corn grower will face water issues two of every five years. For a growing number of farmers, water efficiency now is of prime concern. It's time to rethink water.
As the University of Nebraska Water for Food Conference convenes this week, it's important to remember that water is the “lifeblood” of agriculture, and perhaps the most critical input in growing a crop. Managing the risks associated with an increasingly limited water supply will require a mind-set shift. Rather than thinking solely in terms of bushels per acre, the conversation must begin to revolve around “bushels per inch of available water.” Using bushels per inch as a metric will help us measure our progress and grow “more crop per drop.”
Taking into account the world's rising dietary standards along with population growth, experts believe we will have to double agriculture production. To achieve this goal will require double the amount of water now used to feed the world -- unless we make significant changes to the way we grow our food -- and begin to rethink water.
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