Water pressure
Expert panel proposes five-point approach to improving agricultural watermanagement as demand continues to increase.
By Judie Steeves I
ncreasing competition for water and the uncertainties surrounding climate change and variability in
weather is going to put more stress on the agriculture industry in future, according to a report by an expert panel from the Council of Canadian Academies. There is also likely to be more scrutiny of the industry as time goes on and more pressure on natural resources such as water by a burgeoning population—with a view to protecting its quality in aquifers, streams and wetlands. The report, Water and Agriculture
in Canada: Towards Sustainable Management of Water Resources, was produced in response to a question from the federal agriculture minister and is the result of the work of 15 experts. The Council of Canadian Academies is an independent, not- for-profit organization that supports
12 British Columbia Berry Grower • Summer 2013
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independent, science-based, expert assessments to inform public policy development in Canada. It is led by a 12-member board of governors and advised by a 14-member scientific Advisory Committee, Primary agriculture in Canada is
linked to nearly $100 billion a year in economic activity and about one in 7.5 jobs. There are substantial opportunities for Canadian agriculture in the future with population growth and other factors expected to more than double global
demand for food by 2050, according to the report. However, that’s forecast to trend towards higher value and more water-intensive forms of agricultural production. To manage water use better in agriculture, the panel of experts recommended five areas in which there should be more research and in which action should be taken toward more sustainable management of water in agriculture: 1. New approaches, considering the potential impact of climate change on
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