Overcoming water challenges in agriculture – Canadian Perspectives on #SOFA2020
2021-01-27 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and McGill University invite you to a special webinar on Overcoming water challenges in agriculture – Canadian Perspectives on #SOFA2020.
Intensifying water constraints threaten food security and nutrition. Thus, urgent action is needed to make water use in agriculture more sustainable and equitable. Irrigated agriculture remains by far the largest user of freshwater, but scarcity of freshwater is a growing problem owing to increasing demand and competition for freshwater resources. At the same time, rainfed agriculture is facing increasing precipitation variability driven by climate change. These trends will exacerbate disputes among water users and inequality in access to water.
Join to learn about global and Canadian approaches to overcome water challenges in agriculture!

Panel Discussion: Small-Scale Farming and Water Use in the Deschutes Basin
2021-08-09
Have you been following the extreme drought taking place in Central Oregon and wondering what impacts it is having on local farmers and ranchers? Join the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance for a virtual panel discussion titled “Small-Scale Farming and Water Use in the Deschutes Basin” on August 9th from 6-7:30pm to hear about solutions and ask your farm and ranch related questions to our panel of experts.
There are a variety of stakeholders who rely on water from the Deschutes Basin, which starts in the lakes of the Cascade Mountains and flows to the Columbia River, including conservationists, tourism and recreation professionals, and farmers and ranchers. Many farmers in this area grow hay or other fibers, but this panel will be focused specifically on small- to medium-sized food-producing farmers and ranchers in Central Oregon.
Panelists include:
Phil Chang: Deschutes County Commissioner
Kate Fitzpatrick: Executive Director of the Deschutes River Conservancy and Member of the Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative
Shon Rae: Deputy Managing Director of Central Oregon Irrigation District
Todd Peplin: Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District Programs Lead
