Global Water Scarcity: Combating Drought

Americans, and especially Californians, have had a big dose of severe drought this year. Though it hit the state hard, farmers were the most effected. They continue to worry about the threat the water shortage poses to their multi-million dollar almond, kiwi and walnut crops. The answer has been to irrigate crops with water that is pumped up from underground stores. The problem is that so many farmers are digging so fast and pumping so much water, that the aquifer levels are in danger of depletion. That puts the agriculture industry ultimately at risk. On this hour of America Abroad, we travel to different parts of the world to hear how unrestrained drilling threatens groundwater supplies, but also how some have found solutions by working together.

This hour was written and edited by Martha Little and produced by Rob Sachs with additional production help from Flawn Williams. Our intern is Michael Abrams. Host: Hari Sreenivasan for Madeleine Brand / Length: 51 minutes

+ How Groundwater Is Saving California Farmers During Drought

A report from California's Central Valley on the virtually unregulated well-drilling "arms-race" to save crops.

+ California Drought Brings Unexpected Business For Drillers

The drought has meant a booming business for water-well drillers who bore thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface to access giant aquifers of groundwater.

+ In Rural Kenya, A Community Journey For Water

We send our reporter to a region of Kenya where the villagers have developed a system of rational groundwater distribution.

+ How India's Subsidized Farms Have Created A Water Crisis

The story of how a heavily subsidized farm sector in Punjab, India is creating a water crisis.

Supported By:

Turkish Airlines
Aga Khan Foundation