{"id":3145,"date":"2026-05-25T13:56:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T17:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fondationdegaspebeaubien.org\/?p=3145"},"modified":"2026-05-25T13:56:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T17:56:35","slug":"water-in-agriculture-the-hidden-risk-to-canadas-food-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fondationdegaspebeaubien.org\/en\/water-in-agriculture-the-hidden-risk-to-canadas-food-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Water in Agriculture: The Hidden Risk to Canada\u2019s Food Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Canada\u2019s water story is changing fast. Drought, flooding, and extreme weather events are putting more pressure on the systems that help bring food to our tables. For farmers, it can mean watching their crops fail after months of work, struggling to secure enough water for livestock, and facing rising costs.<\/p>\n

These pressures are now also being felt across fisheries, rural communities, food supply chains, and household grocery bills.<\/p>\n

Canada holds nearly 20% of the world\u2019s freshwater reserves, yet a significant portion is non-renewable, difficult to access, or unsuitable for use. At the same time, 60% of Canada\u2019s renewable water flows North, away from key farming regions, while crop production remains deeply dependent on predictable rainfall.<\/p>\n

The Growing Challenge of Unpredictable Rainfall<\/b><\/h2>\n

Less than 2% of Canadian farmland uses irrigation, making it highly vulnerable when rainfall becomes less reliable. It means many Canadian farms depend on rain arriving at the right time during the growing season. In agriculture, timing becomes just as important as total rainfall.<\/p>\n

Too little or too much water disrupts farming. A wet spring can delay seeding. A dry summer can reduce yields. Heavy rain near harvest can damage crops. Agriculture needs reliable water, in the right place, at the right time.<\/p>\n

The Prairies as an Example<\/b><\/h2>\n

In 2021, the Prairies offered a clear example of how quickly water instability can become a food system shock. After months of low precipitation and extreme heat, severe to exceptional drought spread across Western Canada. In the Prairies, crop yields fell by 30 to 40%. Farmers faced poor pasture conditions, livestock feed and water shortages, and wildfire risks that threatened farming communities.<\/p>\n

In Saskatchewan, crop production in the province fell by a record 47% compared with the previous year. Oat and dry pea harvests were cut in half, while wheat, canola, lentil, and barley production each decreased by about 40%. Saskatchewan was also the only province whose economy contracted that year, contributing to a food system shock.<\/p>\n

Healthy Soil Helps Manage Water<\/b><\/h2>\n

In agriculture, soil is part of the water system. Healthy soil acts like a sponge. It can absorb rainfall, hold moisture during dry periods, and reduce runoff during heavy rain. Agriculture depends on these natural functions for long-term food production. Therefore, when soil is degraded or too dry and followed by heavy rain, it behaves differently. Water runs off faster, erosion increases, and both drought and flooding generate worse impacts.<\/p>\n

Water resilience in agriculture is thus also about land stewardship. Protecting soil health, wetlands, biodiversity, and natural systems helps farms manage extreme weather.<\/p>\n

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Water Security is Food Security<\/b><\/h2>\n

Water is one of the most important inputs in Canada\u2019s food system. Beyond soil health, it supports crops, livestock, fisheries, processing, transportation, and the ecosystems that make food production possible.<\/p>\n

Yet agriculture is being forced to operate in an unpredictable climate. This growing uncertainty affects food systems in several ways:<\/p>\n