Holland blueberry farmer uses irrigation system to protect crop amid drought – WWMT

Report on Sustainable Agricultural Practices at S. Kamphuis Blueberries Amidst Regional Drought

Introduction: A Legacy of Farming and Community Service

S. Kamphuis Blueberries, a fifth-generation family-owned farm in Holland, Michigan, has been an agricultural staple since 1941. The farm is recognized for its commitment to quality production and community engagement. However, it currently faces significant environmental challenges that threaten its operations and local food supply, prompting an innovative response aligned with global sustainability objectives.

Challenge: Severe Drought and Water Scarcity

The region is experiencing a significant rainfall deficit, as reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor. This prolonged dry spell poses a direct threat to agricultural viability.

• Crops are under severe stress due to a lack of natural rainwater.
• Without intervention, crop growth is stunted, leading to a reduction in the size and quality of the fruit.
• This situation directly impacts the farm’s productivity and its ability to contribute to the local food system, highlighting a critical challenge to food security (SDG 2).

Solution: Implementation of Water-Efficient Irrigation Technology

In response to the drought, the farm’s current owner, Scott Kamphuis, has implemented a modern irrigation system to ensure the survival and health of the blueberry crops. This strategic adaptation demonstrates a commitment to resilient agriculture.

1. Direct-to-Root System: A new system has been installed across the entire field to deliver water directly to the root zone of each plant.
2. Reduced Water Waste: This method is highly efficient, minimizing water loss from evaporation and ensuring that the resource is used effectively, which is a core principle of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
3. Crop Resilience: While management acknowledges that irrigation water is not a perfect substitute for natural rain, the system is crucial for keeping the plants alive and healthy, allowing the farm to navigate the challenging season and maintain operations.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The actions taken by S. Kamphuis Blueberries exemplify a practical application of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: By investing in technology to protect its crops from drought, the farm is actively working to ensure stable food production and enhance food security within its community. This promotes sustainable agriculture capable of withstanding climate-related shocks.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The adoption of a direct-to-root irrigation system demonstrates responsible water management. This technology significantly improves water-use efficiency, contributing to the sustainable management of a vital natural resource.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: As a multi-generational family business, the farm’s resilience supports sustained local economic activity and provides stable employment. Its adaptation to environmental challenges ensures its continued contribution to the local economy.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The implementation of a water-saving irrigation system is a clear move towards more sustainable production patterns, reducing the environmental footprint of its agricultural activities.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The farm’s proactive measures to mitigate the impacts of drought are a direct form of climate change adaptation. This initiative serves as a model for how agricultural enterprises can build resilience to climate-related hazards.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• The article focuses on S. Kamphuis Blueberries, a food producer whose crops are threatened by drought. This directly relates to ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agriculture. The farm’s struggle to maintain its blueberry crop highlights the challenges in food production.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• The central theme is water scarcity due to a drought (“rainfall in the region is several inches below normal”). The farm’s response, installing a targeted irrigation system, is a direct engagement with water management and efficiency.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• The farm’s adoption of a new irrigation system that “delivers water directly to each plants’ roots” is an example of moving towards more sustainable production patterns through the efficient use of a natural resource (water).

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article discusses a drought, which is a climate-related hazard. The farm’s efforts to mitigate the effects of the drought are a form of local adaptation and building resilience to the impacts of climate change.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG Target 2.4

   • Target 2.4: “By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters…”
   • Explanation: The article describes the farm implementing a “resilient agricultural practice” (the new irrigation system) to strengthen its capacity for adaptation to a drought, which is an extreme weather event. The goal is to sustain production (“giving them a fighting chance at finishing the season strong”) despite the adverse conditions.

2. SDG Target 6.4

   • Target 6.4: “By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supplies of freshwater to address water scarcity…”
   • Explanation: The farm installed a system that “delivers water directly to each plants’ roots.” This is a clear measure to increase water-use efficiency in the agricultural sector, directly addressing the water scarcity caused by the drought.

3. SDG Target 12.2

   • Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.”
   • Explanation: The installation of the advanced irrigation system is a direct action toward the efficient use of water, a critical natural resource, especially during a drought.

4. SDG Target 13.1

   • Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.”
   • Explanation: The drought is a climate-related hazard. The farm’s investment in an irrigation system is a tangible example of strengthening its resilience and adaptive capacity at a local level to cope with such events. The owner’s statement, “you get through droughts,” reflects this resilience.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 2.4

   • Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
   • Explanation: The article implies this by describing the farm’s actions to remain productive. The entire blueberry field, now equipped with a water-efficient irrigation system to combat drought, represents an “agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.”

2. Indicators for Target 6.4

   • Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time.
   • Explanation: This is implied by the installation of the new system. The shift from relying on unpredictable rainfall to a system that “delivers water directly to each plants’ roots” represents a significant change intended to improve water-use efficiency.
   • Indicator 6.4.2: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources.
   • Explanation: The article directly mentions a condition of high water stress by stating, “The U.S. Drought Monitor says rainfall in the region is several inches below normal.” This serves as a direct measure of the problem the farm is facing.

3. Indicator for Target 13.1

   • Qualitative Indicator: Adoption of local disaster risk reduction strategies.
   • Explanation: While not a formal UN indicator, the article provides a clear example of a local adaptation strategy. The farm’s decision to invest in and install a comprehensive irrigation system is a specific, measurable action taken to reduce the risk and impact of the drought, thus demonstrating increased adaptive capacity.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wwmt.com