Living Lab for Water Sustainability at UBC Farm
The project aims to conduct water monitoring and evaluate water use reduction strategies to minimize the water footprint of agriculture at UBC Farm and support UBC’s Water Action Plan.
Project team
Mark Johnson, Professor, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (PI)
Agriculture accounts for 70% of global water allocations, placing water issues at the centre of sustainable food production challenges. The UBC Farm has experienced growing water shortages during peak months due to climate change impacts in the region, causing fluctuation in agricultural production yearly.
Launched in 2018, the Living Laboratory for Water Sustainability project aims to implement advanced wireless and integrated water and climate monitoring equipment at the Farm including a weather station, water meters, soil moisture sensors and irrigation timers. Water use data is being monitored and evaluated. Water conservation and reuse initiatives in post-harvest stages are being investigated to reduce the overall water footprint of agricultural products produced at UBC Farm.
Monitoring and evaluation also inform evidence-based irrigation strategies in the context of climate, soil conditions, and crop requirements under different water conservation and crop production scenarios. This, in turn, enables the development of crop water models, decision support tools and best practices for irrigation. These techniques are implemented and evaluated in partnership with Farm staff, students, UBC energy and sustainability communities and the wider agri-food community.
The Living Laboratory for Water Sustainability project improves the capacity of the UBC Farm to support research, teaching and learning of water sustainability with academic, public sector and industrial partners. It also informs practical water management and irrigation improvements for urban agriculture and climate change. This could be scaled up across campus to reduce UBC’s water footprint and serve as a focal node for research related to water use in the regional agri-food system.
Partners
Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (CSFS)
at the UBC Farm is a research centre and local-to-global food hub working towards a more sustainable, food-secure future by supporting agroecology research and education.
