Water. Agriculture. Finance.

The impacts of water on agriculture are well known. Water is a requirement. Without water, the agricultural economy comes to a complete stop. In California, we are seeing the convergence of rising production costs, more regulated water use, ongoing extreme weather events, generational farm transitions and the rise of mega farms.

AQUAOSO Technologies, PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation with a mission to build a water resilient future through Intelligent Trust. We leverage data science, machine learning and powerful mapping tools to provide meaningful insight into water data and provide advanced water risk management and mitigation tools for the agricultural economy.

We recently published a whitepaper on the implications of water in California agriculture, especially in relationship to risk management functions for the lending, investment and farm management communities.

Below is the introduction to that whitepaper, enjoy!----

The California agricultural industry has a long history of water related conflicts. Exacerbated by the ongoing, permanent challenges of dryer conditions and the new normal of surface water scarcity, California farms rely heavily on groundwater to supplement their water sources and mitigate surface water supply volatility. Under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the farmer’s ability to rely on groundwater will be drastically reduced.

This impact will reverberate through California for years to come.The results will be devastating for many communities – especially those that are already disadvantaged.

Given the recent changes in minimum wages, shortage of qualified farm workers and yet another reduction of water resources, the impact will likely be hardest on small family farms. California farmers generated $46 Billion for their product outputs in 2016.

These farms support a web of businesses in an ecosystem that includes employment, food processors, transportation, irrigation hardware, nutrient suppliers, export brokers, among hundreds of other businesses that exist as part of a broader social community.As the risk of water resources increase, the business risk of this close-knit ecosystem rises significantly. Jobs are at risk, businesses are at risk, and farms are at risk.

There are, however, bright opportunities to build a stronger future. With the right decision making tools, awareness of the potential impacts, and deeper collaborations, the California Agricultural Economy can thrive.

Lending a hand to California agriculture is more than just good for business, it helps us collectively build a water resilient future!

Read more at https://aquaoso.com/lending-a-hand/