Did you know that growing almonds is a good use of water? That’s right – new research published in the Journal of Ecological Indicators affirms that almonds rank among the most valuable foods grown in California in terms of the 
dietary and economic benefits for the water needed to produce them. What’s more, research has also found that the water footprint of almonds grown in California is smaller1 than a global average originally reported.2
Research around water footprint is crucial to the California almond community’s sustainability journey and helping better understand opportunities for further improvement, according to Richard Waycott, Almond Board of California President and CEO.
While water footprint research serves as a great foundation for continuous improvement, it is a theoretical approach based on modeling, including the maximum water needed to grow almond trees. In practice, almond farmers report using about 25 percent less water than models show.3 Thanks to research-based farming improvements and the adoption of water-saving technology, California almond farmers have reduced the amount of water it takes to grow one pound of almonds by 33 percent over the past 20 years.4 By 2025, the California almond community commits to reduce the amount of water to grow a pound of almonds by an additional 20 percent.
And, almond farmers actually grow four crops per drop of water they use: the almond kernel we love to eat, hulls, shells and the tree itself. Almond farmers recycle these coproducts, which can offset some of almonds’ water footprint.
Click here to learn more about this new research or visit Almonds.com/Water for more on almond farmers’ commitment to responsible water use.
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1Fulton, et al. Water-Indexed Benefits and Impacts of California Almonds. Journal of Ecological Indicators. Apr. 2018.
