Sustainable management of soil, water & nutrients
Many of the most pressing environmental and economic sustainability challenges faced by California agriculture in the 21st century stem directly from the dynamics of nutrient flows and water use on our farms.
Nitrogen, an essential nutrient for crop growth, is increasingly known to negatively impact California’s ground and surface water resources. Farmers are facing growing pressure to increase efficiency of nitrogen use, and policy makers are grappling with how to ensure long-term water quality while protecting the viability of California’s farmers.
California’s extreme drought conditions have put major stresses on farmers as well as on groundwater resources. Sustainable water management will require maximizing efficiency at the farm level, as well as regional and statewide management plans that seek to protect agriculture as a vital California resource.
SAREP works to link researchers and the agricultural community to inform policy, co-create management solutions that are grounded in scientific research and acknowledge the trade-offs farmers face when making farm management decisions.
