Why do we need to grow nuts and avocados in California in the first place, during a drought? It is not like these are staple crops and are needed for humans to

Why do we need to grow nuts and avocados in California in the first place, during a drought? It is not like these are staple crops and are needed for humans to survive, right? If tax payers pay for any solution, what guarantees do they have that these solutions will end up only benefiting some rich farmers and not everyone? Wouldn’t it be sensible to just stop growing water intensive crops in drought areas? Across the world I mean, not just California. Especially if those crops are “nice to have”?