4 ms·

We grow crops in the desert because there is so much sun there that the crops grow faster and to a higher consistent quality, and because there is much fewer pe

We grow crops in the desert because there is so much sun there that the crops grow faster and to a higher consistent quality, and because there is much fewer pests that damage the plants.

jszymborski 5y ago
Right, but crop selection and farming practices matter. Replace water-intensive crop with something more appropriate. Replace flood irrigation with something like aquaponics which is leagues more water efficient.
eldaisfish 5y ago
If this is an argument, it is a very poor one and if this is a justification, it is entirely irrelevant. Deserts have ecosystems that are adapted to life with limited water. Trying to transplant a crop that evolved with plentiful water into an ecosystem with very little is a bad idea. Even worse is the capitalistic incentive to divert natural watercourse to farm in an arid region.
- dylan604 5y ago
  Downvotes because people can't handle the truth?
- krferriter 5y ago
  This has nothing to do with capitalism as communally (or otherwise non-capitalistically) owned food production entities would also be highly incentivized to grow crops in the desert because it just works better, assuming adequate water supply from pipelines or rivers. This is observably true as many countries are using desert/dry land areas to grow crops more efficiently, including those more on the "socialized" spectrum of mixed economies. The thing we should do in this situation is increase our ocean desalination efforts (not to an extent that would counteract sea level rise, but it wouldn't hurt), alongside creating more water pipelines to achieve better distribution into areas which need it. We aren't going to stop crowing crops in desert conditions. It's too effective. We should build more water pipelines to bring water into regions like the California central valley and Colorado and Utah where water is more scarce but crop conditions are good aside from the water availability.
allemagne 5y ago
I appreciate the context here.

We grow crops in the desert because there is so much sun there that the crops grow faster and to a higher consistent quality, and because there is much fewer pests that damage the plants.

jszymborski 5y ago

Right, but crop selection and farming practices matter. Replace water-intensive crop with something more appropriate. Replace flood irrigation with something like aquaponics which is leagues more water efficient.

eldaisfish 5y ago

If this is an argument, it is a very poor one and if this is a justification, it is entirely irrelevant. Deserts have ecosystems that are adapted to life with limited water. Trying to transplant a crop that evolved with plentiful water into an ecosystem with very little is a bad idea. Even worse is the capitalistic incentive to divert natural watercourse to farm in an arid region.

dylan604 5y ago
Downvotes because people can't handle the truth?
krferriter 5y ago
This has nothing to do with capitalism as communally (or otherwise non-capitalistically) owned food production entities would also be highly incentivized to grow crops in the desert because it just works better, assuming adequate water supply from pipelines or rivers. This is observably true as many countries are using desert/dry land areas to grow crops more efficiently, including those more on the "socialized" spectrum of mixed economies. The thing we should do in this situation is increase our ocean desalination efforts (not to an extent that would counteract sea level rise, but it wouldn't hurt), alongside creating more water pipelines to achieve better distribution into areas which need it. We aren't going to stop crowing crops in desert conditions. It's too effective. We should build more water pipelines to bring water into regions like the California central valley and Colorado and Utah where water is more scarce but crop conditions are good aside from the water availability.

allemagne 5y ago

I appreciate the context here.