Moving beyond the Mirage: Water scarcity and agricultural use inefficiency in USA

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine water scarcity and food security in the United States, the world's largest grain producer, and to provide empirical evidence that high volumes of water-intensive crops are grown in water-scarce regions. The primary methodology is to analyze data using Geographic Information System (GIS) and to visually represent the results through statistical mapping of water stress overlaid with the amount of production of different commodities. The article concludes by discussing strategies to restructure agriculture to improve water efficiency and to maintain regional agricultural economies that depend on the sustainability of water resources.