Nourishing a healthy future: The role of irrigation in a changing world

Keith Heuermann, a farmer from Nebraska, once described his work as a constant struggle between man and nature in which there is always something “trying to take that crop from you.”

Heuermann did more than overcome the “pain … of all the things farmers are confronted with,” becoming a major innovator in hybrid seed corn production.

His struggles and innovative spirit still describe farming in the United States today. The Heuermann Lecture series, hosted by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), honors him by exploring how to meet the world’s food needs at the critical intersection of water and energy systems while also sustaining rural communities.

The 2025 lecture, delivered by Claudia Ringler, PhD, explored the critical role of irrigation in advancing global food security — a timely topic given Nebraska’s leadership in irrigation innovation. With changing weather patterns and growing demand for water resources, smart irrigation technologies are becoming a game-changer in securing food and better diets. Such innovations are critical amid nutrition and health crises.

Following decades of improvements, food security has declined since 2014. The number of hungry people has surpassed 700 million, and good nutrition is out of reach for more than a third of humanity who cannot afford the quantity and variety of foods needed for a healthy life. Particularly fruits, vegetables and animal-source foods remain unaffordable to most people in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Globally, 22% of children are stunted largely because they lack sufficient quality food and water.

In the U.S., food insecurity is also on the rise. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food security data for 2023 show that 13.5% of U.S. households were food insecure, up from 12.8% in 2022. Moreover, the energy-rich, nutrient-poor diets consumed in many households are associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other diseases, according to research from Oregon State University.

Irrigation to the rescue?

Irrigation clearly improves agricultural productivity, yields and income, especially amid more frequent droughts, rising temperatures and changes in the timing and intensity of rainfall. But irrigation does not automatically lead to better nutrition — this depends on what crops are grown, by whom, for what purpose and how water is managed. In fact, nutrition must be actively pursued and monitored as part of irrigation to avoid harm.

Declining water quality, increasing disease risk — for example, West Nile virus — competition with drinking water and worsening water access can occur with poorly planned irrigation systems. As rural communities know very well, water sources for agriculture also provide water for drinking, washing and hygiene. And all these uses are vital to health.

Four pathways link irrigation with nutrition and health outcomes, offering ways to actively address nutrition and health deficiencies:

1. Production: Irrigation can contribute to increased production of diverse foods, increasing the volume and lowering the price of nutritious foods, such as vegetables, fruits, pulses and, in poorer countries, animal-source foods.
2. Income: Irrigation can increase farm incomes from the sale of high-value crops, which families can use to purchase more diverse foods and cover health care costs.
3. Domestic water supply and hygiene: In many rural settings, irrigators can take steps to avoid contamination and ensure that clean, safe water is available for domestic uses.
4. Family empowerment: Irrigation planning can include those who make family decisions about food to ensure healthy options and clean water are on the dinner table.

In short, several positive pathways link irrigation and nutrition. To be effective, irrigation communities need to actively seek nutrition, working toward crop diversity, zero water pollution and inclusive water governance. Importantly, negative pathways can be avoided, including water contamination, waterborne diseases, diverting water away from domestic use or relying on manual irrigation that adds to the labor burden of workers.

Irrigation for nutrition: Can we do what it takes?

Secure the most precious resource

The age of water abundance has passed. In the U.S., irrigation development is continually adjusting to pressures, with total irrigated acreage declining to around 55 million acres in 2022, according to the USDA. Threats from groundwater depletion and water pollution will further affect irrigated agriculture, putting nutritional benefits from irrigated agriculture at risk. To respond, irrigation must become even more efficient beyond the best-in-class status the U.S. already holds.

Water resources will need to be co-managed for diverse uses to address the range of needs, considering both water quality and availability. Many farmers in the U.S. and elsewhere monitor and measure water use, as do irrigation operators and other authorities. As leaders in governance, Natural Resource Districts in Nebraska, Local Enhanced Management Areas in Kansas and Master Irrigator programs in Texas are being adapted by other states, regions and countries to support water productivity in agriculture and sustain irrigation water resources.

Increase nutrition intentionality of irrigation

Positive linkages between irrigation and nutrition need to be strengthened. States such as Nebraska are actively pursuing locally driven, nutritious food systems that improve access to affordable vegetables and fruits. As an example, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service supported a program with UNL to help eliminate food deserts. UNL researchers and extension worked with smallholder farmers to use high-precision irrigation technologies for vegetable production in greenhouses. Another initiative, the Know Your Well program, enables households to access information on well water quality. Other states and regions are adapting these and similar programs.

Increasingly, agricultural producers must use water intentionally for nutrient-dense production, not just calories. Prioritizing crops and systems that nourish — and not just feed — will require direct involvement of consumers and policymakers. Irrigation engineers, nutritionists, water and sanitation experts, and community organizations often don’t speak the same language or attend the same meetings — but they must if we want real impact. Programs to support irrigators must be co-designed across these boundaries. Processes could include rethinking water-intensive crops, such as sugarcane, which may harm, rather than support, nutrition and health.

Share insights from science and practice

Aided by research and innovation, U.S. farmers have made extraordinary strides in productivity. But with the threats to water availability and quality, as well as the growing levels of diet-related diseases, we need to accelerate efforts in science and innovation. Closer linkages between farmers, U.S. higher education institutions and industry will be central to fit-for-purpose solutions. Interdisciplinary university programs can link nutrition and health sciences with production systems, including irrigated agriculture. TAPS and Master Irrigators of the Irrigation Innovation Consortium, as well as other programs, show that we are ready for more collaboration in agricultural water management.

Toward a healthy future

The burdens of diet-related disease and food insecurity are global. However, the overall risk of morbidity and mortality from lack of access to healthy diets is highest in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The U.S. has much to share in terms of developing productive agricultural systems and water-conserving irrigation systems. Such exchanges should occur at multiple levels, ranging from international students at U.S. universities to industry engagement and technology transfer across regions and countries, as well as joint irrigation research and farmer-to-farmer exchanges.

Returning to the words of Keith Heuermann on the future of agriculture: “Education is the key to everything.” Developing the necessary technologies, managing farms effectively and ultimately producing more from less — education and collaboration provide the foundation to nourish a healthy future.

Nicole Lefore, PhD, is associate director at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. Claudia Ringler, PhD, is deputy division director at the International Food Policy Research Institute. Jennie Barron, PhD, is an agricultural water management professor in the Department of Soil and Environment at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.