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Water rights shape crop yield and revenue volatility tradeoffs for adaptation in snow dependent systems

Author

Listed:
  • Keyvan Malek

    (Cornell University)

  • Patrick Reed

    (Cornell University)

  • Jennifer Adam

    (Washington State University)

  • Tina Karimi

    (Cornell University)

  • Michael Brady

    (Washington State University)

Abstract

Irrigated agriculture in snow-dependent regions contributes significantly to global food production. This study quantifies the impacts of climate change on irrigated agriculture in the snow-dependent Yakima River Basin (YRB) in the Pacific Northwest United States. Here we show that increasingly severe droughts and temperature driven reductions in growing season significantly reduces expected annual agricultural productivity. The overall reduction in mean annual productivity also dampens interannual yield variability, limiting yield-driven revenue fluctuations. Our findings show that farmers who adapt to climate change by planting improved crop varieties may potentially increase their expected mean annaul productivity in an altered climate, but remain strongly vulnerable to irrigation water shortages that substantially increase interannual yield variability (i.e., increasing revenue volatility). Our results underscore the importance for crop adaptation strategies to simultaneously capture the biophysical effects of warming as well as the institutional controls on water availability.

Suggested Citation

  • Keyvan Malek & Patrick Reed & Jennifer Adam & Tina Karimi & Michael Brady, 2020. "Water rights shape crop yield and revenue volatility tradeoffs for adaptation in snow dependent systems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-17219-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17219-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Yu, Chengzheng & Miao, Ruiqing & Khanna, Madhu, 2021. "Maladaptation of U.S. Corn and Soybean to a Changing Climate," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 313798, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Kheir, Ahmed M.S. & Alrajhi, Abdullah A. & Ghoneim, Adel M. & Ali, Esmat F. & Magrashi, Ali & Zoghdan, Medhat G. & Abdelkhalik, Sedhom A.M. & Fahmy, Ahmed E. & Elnashar, Abdelrazek, 2021. "Modeling deficit irrigation-based evapotranspiration optimizes wheat yield and water productivity in arid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    3. Yu, Chengzheng & Miao, Ruiqing & Khanna, Madhu, 2021. "Maladaptation of U.S. Corn and Soybean Yields to a Changing Climate," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315037, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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