Irrigated Agriculture at the Urban Fringe: Farmers' Resilience to Socio-Ecological Change in Central Arizona

Central Arizona has undergone rapid urbanization, yet the region still supports a large irrigated agricultural sector that consumes 72% of total regional water use. Arizona’s future water resources and water management are likely to be challenged by climate variability, change and population growth. Despite projections of decline, agriculture in Central Arizona has been revitalized in response to recent high commodity prices. The future of water in Central Arizona in part hinges on the choices and water management strategies farmers will pursue in the coming years.

We examine Central Arizona farmers’ social resilience in the context of social, economic, and environmental change. In an online and mailed survey (R=52), we asked farmers about attachment to place, attachment to farming, networks, and attitudes and behaviors around water use. Using statistical analysis, our results show that farmers are adaptive to changing economic conditions, yet are concerned with the prospect of future water scarcity. Despite insecure tenure, farmers express strong attachment to place and community. These results highlight opportunities for change in regional water and land management in Central Arizona, as well as challenges for farm-level and regional anticipatory planning. Our findings suggest there may be a need for greater collaboration among the agricultural and urban sectors to promote a more robust regional water management system.