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Curriculum Matrix

Companion resource, grade levels, type of companion resource, content area standards, agricultural literacy outcomes, common core.

Journey 2050

The Journey 2050 website focuses on the year 2050 as a key moment in time when the world's population is estimated to be 9 billion. Answer the question, "How will we sustainably feed 9 billion people by the year 2050?" Find four games and seven videos to learn about sustainable agriculture.

Lessons Associated with this Resource

• Journey 2050 Lesson 1: Sustainable Agriculture (Grades 6-8)
• Journey 2050 Lesson 2: Soil Nutrients (Grades 6-8)
• Journey 2050 Lesson 4: Economies (Grades 6-8)
• Journey 2050 Lesson 1: Sustainable Agriculture (Grades 9-12)
• Journey 2050 Lesson 2: Soil Nutrients (Grades 9-12)
• Journey 2050 Lesson 4: Economies (Grades 9-12)
• Journey 2050 Lesson 5: Land Use (Grades 6-8)
• Journey 2050 Lesson 5: Land Use (Grades 9-12)
• Hunger and Malnutrition (Grades 6-8)

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Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix

Lesson plan, grade levels, type of companion resource, content area standards, agricultural literacy outcomes, common core, journey 2050 lesson 1: sustainable agriculture (grades 9-12), grade level.

Students will explore the question, “How will we sustainably feed nearly 10 billion people by the year 2050?” as they discover what sustainable agriculture is and how it is critical to securing a stable food supply and future for a growing population.  Grades 9-12

Estimated Time

Materials needed.

• Sustainable Agriculture slide deck
• Journey 2050 Introduction video
• Play online or download app
• Create Free Teacher Account  to track student progress and print reports for Sustainability Farming Game .
• Computer or tablet device for each student

sustainable: meeting the economic, social, and environmental needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future

sustainable agriculture: an approach to agriculture that focuses on producing food while improving the economic viability of farms, protecting natural resources, and enhancing quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

Did You Know?

• Sustainable agriculture is critical in the global effort to eradicate hunger and poverty.
• Reducing food waste positively impacts sustainability.
• More than 700 million people, or 10 per cent of the world population, still live in extreme poverty today, struggling to fulfil the most basic needs like health, education, and access to water and sanitation. 7
• Unfortunately, about one-third 8 of our current global food supply is wasted. In developed countries food is thrown out and over consumed, and in developing countries food is lost to unreliable storage and transportation. 

Background Agricultural Connections

• Lesson 1: Sustainable Agriculture
• Lesson 2: Soil Nutrients
• Lesson 3: Water
• Lesson 4: Economies
• Lesson 5: Land Use
• Lesson 6: Careers
• Lesson 7: Technology and Innovations
• Take Action: Project-based Learning and Program Summary

It is estimated that by 2050, Earth will be crowded with 2 billion more people. They’re all going to need water, homes, jobs and medicines. But most importantly, how are they all going to be fed? 

This growing population will eat the equivalent of all the food grown in the last 500 years put together. 1 That’s over 60 percent more than we grow today 2 or 1 billion tons more cereal 3 and 50 percent 4 more freshwater every year. 

This additional food has to be grown on less land and in a way that protects the environment and animals, while also ensuring there’s enough food for generations to come. This is called sustainability , and it can only be achieved by improving its three interconnected elements: economy, society and the environment. 

Imagine a barrel with parts made equally from the three elements of sustainability. You can only fill this barrel to the level of its lowest piece. If the environment is the lowest piece of the barrel, it limits sustainability. This element must be improved to make the world’s sustainability better. 

World leaders in the United Nations have committed to 17 Global Goals 5 in order to achieve extraordinary things such as: end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and fix climate change. Sustainable agriculture is key to meeting these goals and creating a stronger 2050 for our people and our planet. 

The planting of a single seed creates a ripple effect that helps the farmer’s family, their community, their country and ultimately, the world. The more farmers grow and sell, the more they have to spend on seeds, machinery and fertilizer to produce even more food and fiber. Income that’s spent locally is invested in the community, providing education, medical care and infrastructure and protecting the environment. If farmers around the world start a ripple, it could improve global economies and help billions rise from poverty. Different farmers raise different crops and animals according to their local soil, climate, technology and markets. But they all have one thing in common. They love agriculture. 

On our journey to the year 2050, we’re going to be spending time with farm families around the world who are growing food sustainably. First, you’ll meet the the Oloos. They own a small farm in Kenya, East Africa. Then meet the Singh’s who live in India where multiple generations farm together. Next, we’ll fly across the Atlantic to meet the Madges. They’re a third-generation farming family from Central Alberta, Canada. Finally, we’ll meet the Van Löben Sels, they are a sixth-generation farming family in the United States. They grow various commodities in California. These families and agricultural experts will be giving you advice on what we call best management practices, which will allow us to grow more with less, protect the environment, build stronger communities and feed the growing population of our planet.

It’s a long journey ahead, but even the longest journey starts with a single step forward. Take it now and join us on our Journey to 2050.

This lesson has been adapted for online instruction and can be found on the  Journey 2050 eLearning site .

• Project the Sustainable Agriculture slide deck. Begin with slide 2 and ask your students, “How much is 1 million?” Allow students to offer their answers as they begin visualizing the quantity and value of 1 million. Then ask, “If I spent $1000 every day, how long would it take me to spend 1 million dollars?” (2.7 years, or 1,000 days) 
• Once students seem to grasp the value of 1 million, move to slide 3 and ask, “If I spend $1,000 every day, how many days would it take to spend 1 billion dollars?” (1,000,000 days or 2,740 years) 
• Now that your students are beginning to visualize the sheer quantity of 1 billion ask, “What is the current world population right now?” (over 7 billion). Follow up by asking, “Do you know what the world population is projected to be in the year 2050?” (nearly 10 billion). 

Explore and Explain

Activity 1: Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture 

• Slides 5–6: Ask students, “If it is [insert current year] right now, how many years until we reach the year 2050?” Then ask, “How old will you be in the year 2050?” Explain that scientists and world leaders have identified 2050 as a key moment in time when the world’s population will be nearly 10 billion—that is more than 2 billion more than today. Point out to students that they will be adults! They will have an influence on the decisions that impact everything from what is taught in schools to what they buy at the grocery store.
• Slide 7: Ask students to identify some of the items we will need more of in order to provide for 2 billion additional people on Earth. Brainstorm and list several items on the board. Use questioning to help students identify items such as water, homes, jobs, medicines, food, etc. Remind students of all the products they get from agriculture (food, fiber, fuel, timber, medicines and by-products that are used in manufacturing or end up in items such as lipstick, paint and batteries). Explain that farmers and many other agricultural professionals are responsible for producing each of these daily necessities.
• Before moving on, formatively assess students to ensure they understand the term sustainability .
• Slides 9–10: Tomorrow’s farmer will have to feed even more people. It is estimated that by 2050, our growing population will require the equivalent of all the food grown in the last 500 years. 10 That’s a lot of food! Ask, “Do farmers have limitations to how much they can produce?” As students think about the answer to this question, give an example of a corn farmer with 100 acres. Can this farmer take their same land, soil, corn seeds, water and tractors and double their crop from one year to the next simply because there is a demand for more corn? No, there are limitations if a farmer wants to produce agricultural goods in a sustainable manner.
• Slide 11: Ask students to picture a wooden barrel made up of several wooden slats. Explain that we are going to call it a sustainability barrel . Each wooden slat of the barrel represents a factor influencing sustainable agricultural production. Each factor can be placed into one of three challenges to sustainable agriculture—producing sustainably while maintaining economic, social and environmental systems. For example, in order to be able to grow enough food to feed the world sustainably, we have to make sure that farmers are able to earn a profit, that communities have access to education and healthcare, and that the soil stays healthy and we don’t destroy habitats.
• Slide 12: Ask students, “What are some examples of limiting factors?” (water, available land, soil health, climate, economy, education, etc.) Ask students to explain how each factor influences our ability to produce our food. Remind students that we must continually improve the weakest part of our sustainability, whether it is education or soil health. They all impact our ability to feed the world. A community or program is only as successful as its least developed sustainability factor.
• Slide 14: Ask, “Can a single drop of water impact an entire body of water?” (Yes, it creates a ripple.) 
• Slides 15–16: Use these slides to illustrate how sustainable practices in agriculture can create a positive ripple effect. 

• Slides 17–18: Inform students that they are about to embark on a “Journey to 2050.” Inform students that they will be using a game to farm virtually in different parts of the world. Along the way they will learn more about where our food, fiber (clothing and shelter) and fuel comes from and how farmers can sustainably produce these items for a growing population.
• Introduce the Sustainability Farming Game . Inform students that they will experience the lives of actual farm families across the world. As they interact with each family, they should pay attention to the farming practices they choose, the technology they use and the community investments they make. Remember, agriculture is the foundation for life, and its success creates ripples locally and globally that will determine whether we meet the challenge of feeding the world.
• Social: food, education, infrastructure, healthcare
• Economy: profits, income, jobs, community
• Environment: habitats, soil health, water, greenhouse gases
• Open the Sustainability Farming Game Level 1 Demo on each student’s computer or device.
• Explain that the sustainability barrel will determine their score, and help students understand the significance of balancing the social, economic and environmental pillars of the sustainability barrel throughout the game (e.g., investments in soil health produce better crops, earning more money; investments in roads allow products and people to travel easier, improving access to markets and labor).
• Note to teacher: The first level is a demonstration of the game designed to teach students how to play. Students will be in Kenya and will play one round, which will take about five minutes. The game stops after they have completed each teaching moment (such as how to plant, water and harvest).
• Once time is up, the game will pause on the Results page. When all students have reached the Results page, instruct them to press “continue,” and help them understand what the Ripple Effects screen shows. They will then move on to the Surplus Contribution Opportunities page. Encourage them to invest in their limiting factors (there will be a red arrow under the limiting factor). If the investment matches that factor, there will be a red arrow on the left, beside the investment name. Once their score stops going up they can press “continue” and finish with the demo level.
• After growing your first crop, did you invest some of your money to purchase additional land? Why or why not?
• What was the limiting factor in your sustainability barrel? What did this mean? (Answers will vary) 
• What were some of the ripple effects of your farming choices? 

Show the animated video, 7 Billion: How Did We Get So Big So Fast?  to illustrate to students why and how our population grew to reach over 7 billion today. 

Utilize these 60-second supplementary videos for each of the topics below:

• Sustainability
• Best Management Practices
• Ripple Effect

As an example to illustrate growth and improvement in agriculture, explain that a North American farmer in the 1900s produced enough food for 10 people. Today’s farmer feeds over 120 people. Ask students, “Why can farmers produce more food today than they could in the early 1900s?” (increased knowledge and skills about plants and animals, technology, machinery, improved breeding and genetics, etc.)

World leaders are working on solutions to global sustainability. The United Nations has released 17 goals  that we all need to work towards. There is a free App called Global Hero that highlights each goal in 30-second mini-games. (There are no in-app purchases to play the games.)

The Journey 2050 lessons provide an introduction to agricultural sustainability. Take a deeper dive into additional sustainability topics using the links found on the Sustainability page.

Review and summarize the following key concepts (Slide 26):

• Our population is growing. By 2050 it is expected that our world will grow from over 7 billion people to nearly 10 billion people.
• Sustainable agriculture is the practice of producing our food, fiber and fuel in a way that is profitable to the farmer, supports a healthy quality of life and protects our natural resources (land, air and water).
• Many factors can limit our ability to produce food for a growing population. These limiting factors are depicted in the sustainability barrel.
• Using sustainable agricultural practices can improve our society through the ripple effect.
• http://www.economist.com/node/18200702
• Sustainable Development Network Solutions (2013). Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems http://unsdsn.org/mwg-internal/de5fs23hu73ds/progress?id=EHV3NQH3C4-PP-EivDwXY4i2HzIjIWty8lBnkNioco0,
• http://www.fao.org/mwg-internal/de5fs23hu73ds/progress?id=HXecPI0p3XpJtFbAsjLRZd3G4ZjPgUW5N3PqtZYwwio
• http://waterfortheworld.net/index.php?id=12
• http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
• https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/poverty/
• https://www.wfp.org/stories/5-facts-about-food-waste-and-hunger#:~:text=1 , and http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/food_security.shtml
• https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/be6d1d56/files/uploaded/TG07-Agriculture-Report-WEB.pdf
• http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/food_waste_the_facts
• http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/population/vitalstats.shtml
• Sustainable Development Network Solutions (2013). Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems http://unsdsn.org/mwg-internal/de5fs23hu73ds/progress?id=EHV3NQH3C4-PP-EivDwXY4i2HzIjIWty8lBnkNioco0 

Acknowledgements

The  Journey 2050 program was originally developed by Nutrien in collaboration with Calgary Stampede, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Nutrients for Life Foundation, and Agriculture in the Classroom Canada. Authors and contributors were drawn from each of these organizations under the direction of Lindsey Verhaeghe (Nutrien) and Robyn Kurbel (Calgary Stampede.) The lessons were updated and revised in 2017 and 2022 with contributions from the original J2050 Steering Committee, the National Center for Agricultural Literacy, and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. 

Recommended Companion Resources

• 9 Billion Mouths to Feed: Leading the Way to Abundance and Sustainability
• Agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals
• Agronomy - Grow with It!
• Creative Solutions to Ending School Food Waste
• Food Machine
• Growing Today for Tomorrow
• Journey 2050
• Journey 2050 Program Summary: Project-Based Learning
• Population, Sustainability, and Malthus: Crash Course World History video
• Smarter Food: Does Big Farming Mean Bad Farming?
• What is Regenerative Agriculture?
• What is Sustainable Agriculture?
• World Population History

Organization

State standards for texas, world geography studies: 113.43.c.11.

Economics. The student understands how geography influences economic activities.

• World Geography Studies: 11.C   -  The student is expected to assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (technology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities.

Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits: 113.31.c.1

Economics. The student understands the concepts of scarcity and opportunity costs.

• Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits: 1.A   -  The student is expected to explain why scarcity and choice are basic economic problems faced by every society.

Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits: 113.31.c.23

Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently with others.

• Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits: 23   -  The student is expected to use problem-solving and decision-making processes to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.

World Geography Studies: 113.43.c.8

Geography. The student understands how people, places, and environments are connected and interdependent.

• World Geography Studies: 8.A   -  The student is expected to compare ways that humans depend on, adapt to, and modify the physical environment, including the influences of culture and technology.
• World Geography Studies: 8.C   -  The student is expected to evaluate the economic and political relationships between settlements and the environment, including sustainable development and renewable/non-renewable resources.

Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits: 113.31.c.10

Economics. The student understands key components of economic growth.

• Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits: 10.B   -  The student is expected to analyze how technology relates to growth.

World Geography Studies: 113.43.c.19

Science, technology, and society. The student understands the impact of technology and human modifications on the physical environment.

• World Geography Studies: 19.C   -  The student is expected to analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of advances in technology on agriculture and natural resources.

English I: 110.36.c.1

Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking--oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion.

• English I: 1.A   -  The student is expected to engage in meaningful and respectful discourse by listening actively, responding appropriately, and adjusting communication to audiences and purposes.

English II: 110.37.c.1

Developing and sustaining foundation language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking--oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion.

• English II: 1.A   -  The student is expected to engage in meaningful and respectful discourse by listening actively, responding appropriately, and adjusting communication to audiences and purposes.

English III: 110.38.c.1

• English III: 1.A   -  The student is expected to engage in meaningful and respectful discourse when evaluating the clarity and coherence of a speaker's message and critiquing the impact of a speaker's use of diction and syntax.

English IV: 110.39.c.1

• English IV: 1.A   -  The student is expected to engage in meaningful and respectful discourse when evaluating the clarity and coherence of a speaker's message and critiquing the impact of a speaker's use of diction, syntax, and rhetorical strategies.

Environmental Systems: 112.37.c.9

Science concepts. The student knows the impact of human activities on the environment.

• Environmental Systems: 9.E   -  The student is expected to evaluate the effect of human activities, including habitat restoration projects, species preservation efforts, nature conservancy groups, hunting, fishing, ecotourism, all terrain vehicles, and small personal watercraft, on the environment.
• Environmental Systems: 9.G   -  The student is expected to analyze how ethical beliefs can be used to influence scientific practices such as methods for increasing food production.

Environmental Systems: 112.37.c.5

Science concepts. The student knows the interrelationships among the resources within the local environmental system.

• Environmental Systems: 5.A   -  The student is expected to summarize methods of land use and management and describe its effects on land fertility.
• Environmental Systems: 5.B   -  The student is expected to identify source, use, quality, management, and conservation of water.
• Environmental Systems: 5.C   -  The student is expected to document the use and conservation of both renewable and non-renewable resources as they pertain to sustainability.

Agriculture and the Environment

• Evaluate the various definitions of “sustainable agriculture,” considering population growth, carbon footprint, environmental systems, land and water resources, and economics (T1.9-12.f)
• Describe resource and conservation management practices used in agricultural systems (e.g., riparian management, rotational grazing, no till farming, crop and variety selection, wildlife management, timber harvesting techniques) (T1.9-12.b)

Culture, Society, Economy & Geography

• Communicate how the global agricultural economy and population influences the sustainability of communities and societies (T5.9-12.a)
• Compare and contrast the economic challenges facing developed and under-developed countries (poverty, population, and hunger) (T5.9-12.c)
• Discuss how agricultural practices have increased agricultural productivity and have impacted (pro and con) the development of the global economy, population, and sustainability (T5.9-12.e)

Education Content Standards

Career & technical education (career).

AFNR (Grades 9-12) Environmental Service Systems Career Pathway

• ESS.02.02    Compare and contrast the impact of current trends on regulation of environmental service systems (e.g., climate change, population growth, international trade, etc.).
• ESS.02.03    Examine and summarize the impact of public perceptions and social movements on the regulation of environmental service systems.

AFNR (Grades 9-12) Natural Resource Systems Career Pathway

• NRS.02.02    Assess the impact of human activities on the availability of natural resources.

Social Studies - Economics (ECONOMICS)

Economics Standard 1 (Grades 9-12) Scarcity

• Objective (Grades 9-12)    Identify what they gain and what they give up when they make choices.

Economics Standard 2 (Grades 9-12) Decision Making

• Objective (Grades 9-12)    Make effective decisions as consumers, producers, savers, investors, and citizens.

Social Studies - History (HISTORY)

NCSS 8 (Grades 9-12): Science, Technology, and Society

• Objective 2    Science and technology have had both positive and negative impacts upon individuals, societies, and the environment in the past and present.
• Objective 9    Science, technology, and their consequences are unevenly available across the globe.
• Objective 10    Science and technology have contributed to making the world increasingly interdependent.
• Objective 11    That achievements in science and technology are increasing at a rapid pace and can have both planned and unanticipated consequences.
• Objective 12    Developments in science and technology may help to address global issues.

NCSS 9 (Grades 9-12): Global Connections

• Objective 4    The actions of people, communities, and nations have both short-and long-term effects on the biosphere and its ability to sustain life.

NCSS 3 (Grades 9-12): People, Places, and Environments

• Objective 3    Consequences of changes in regional and global physical systems, such as seasons, climate, and weather, and the water cycle.
• Objective 4    The causes and impact of resource management, as reflected in land use, settlement patterns, and ecosystem changes.

Science (SCIENCE)

HS-ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

• HS-ESS3-3    Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among the management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

HS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• HS-LS2-7    Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

HS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• HS-LS4-6    Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

APES Unit 5 Land and Water Use

• STB-1.A Introduction to Sustainability    Explain the concept of sustainability.
• STB-1.E Sustainable Agriculture    Describe sustainable agricultural and food production practices.

Common Core Connections

Anchor standards: reading.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

Anchor Standards: Speaking and Listening

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

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Agricultural literacy curriculum matrix, lesson plan, grade levels, type of companion resource, content area standards, agricultural literacy outcomes, common core, journey 2050 lesson 3: water (grades 9-12), grade level.

Students will discuss the limited amount of fresh water on earth, identify how best management practices can reduce water consumption, discuss the need for water conservation and protection, and compare and contrast methods of irrigation for water conservation.  Grades 9-12

Estimated Time

Materials needed.

• Water slide deck
• Engagement Activity Supplies: One-gallon container, clear bowl, ½-cup measuring cup, eyedropper
• Journey 2050: Water video
• Play online or download app
• Create Free Teacher Account  to track student progress and print reports on Sustainability Farming Game .
• Computer or tablet device for each student

conservation tillage: farming methods that reduce the intensity or frequency of tilling in order to maintain some ground cover throughout the year and disturb the soil as little as possible while still providing the conditions needed to grow a productive crop

crop residue: plant material remaining in a field after harvesting, including leaves, stalks, and roots

irrigation: artificial application of water to the land or soil to assist plant growth

riparian area: A space between the land and the waterway ideally filled with native grass, bushes and trees

watershed: a watershed is the area of land where all of the water that falls in it and drains off of it goes into the same place

Did You Know?

• Over 70% of Earth is covered in water but only a small amount is freshwater.
• Only 5% of all the water on Earth is freshwater
• Only a small drop (3%) of the freshwater on the earth is accessible because the rest is trapped in groundwater, the atmosphere, glaciers and ice caps. 10
• Groundwater is the easiest to access, but that still leaves us with over 68% of our water supply that is salt water or un-accessible.

Background Agricultural Connections

• Lesson 1: Sustainable Agriculture
• Lesson 2: Soil Nutrients
• Lesson 3: Water
• Lesson 4: Economies
• Lesson 5: Land Use
• Lesson 6: Careers
• Lesson 7: Technology and Innovations
• Take Action: Project-based Learning and Program Summary

Imagine a picture of the Earth. All the blue that you see is water, and it makes up 70 percent of Earth’s surface. However, we can only use a tiny fraction of it. Only 2.5 percent of Earth’s water is freshwater, found in glaciers and polar ice caps, groundwater, surface water such as lakes, ponds and rivers, and in the atmosphere. Only 0.3 percent of that is accessible for us to use. 1

Water is essential, not just for drinking and keeping clean, but throughout our lives. For example, we need water to make the cars that get us to school and to grow the food that we eat. We can’t live without water. As our population grows, there is even more pressure on our limited supplies. Today, about 1.3 billion people live in regions with an uncertain supply of fresh water. 2  With economic and population growth in those areas, more than half the world’s predicted population will face water shortage by 2050 if nothing is done. 3 Water is essential and needs to be conserved and protected.

Water is an essential part of agriculture. In fact, nearly three-quarters of the world’s freshwater is used in agriculture to produce the food, fiber and products that we need to live. 4  For example, it takes 435 liters (115 gallons) of water to grow enough wheat to make just one loaf of bread 5  and about 11,000 liters (2,900 gallons) to make a pair of blue jeans. 6  This calculation includes the water required to grow the raw materials, process them and manufacture the final product. As our climate changes, the weather is becoming more extreme and unpredictable. In some parts of the world, the climate is becoming drier, and in others it is becoming wetter. The unpredictable availability of water is making it harder for farmers to grow crops, putting our food supply at risk.

Through advances in technology and improved best management practices, farmers try to ensure that crops have the right amount of water while conserving water and maintaining water quality. It’s about using the right amounts at the times when crops need water most. Too little and seeds can dry up. Too much and water is wasted as runoff.

For example, in countries like Kenya where rainfall can be unpredictable, farmers collect and store rainwater to reuse when it’s needed most. They also utilize drip irrigation where water is delivered close to plant roots through a pipe, drop by drop. This minimizes water losses from evaporation and increases yields by as much as 90 percent compared to plants only receiving rainwater. 7

In countries like Canada or the United States, pivot irrigation is a great way to apply water at specific times of the day. Technology plays a key role in water management. Farmers can use their phones to gain information on the soil moisture content of their crops. They can get live weather updates and calculate how much water is needed for the day. They can remotely turn their irrigation systems on and off to use water more efficiently while increasing crop yields.

Another best management practice is conservation tillage , which involves covering at least 30 percent of the soil surface with crop residues left after harvesting. 8  This helps slow water movement, reducing the risk of erosion. It also provides more organic matter, improving soil health. A healthy soil will hold more moisture and grow better crops.

Through innovations such as new seed varieties, scientists are developing crops that are more resistant to change in climates so we can grow crops even when the growing conditions are not ideal. Sharing best practices and providing everyone with the tools they need to use water more efficiently is critical. It is important that every single day of the year we all take the time and make the effort to conserve and protect our precious water supplies.

This lesson has been adapted for online instruction and can be found on the  Journey 2050 eLearning site .

• Fill a one-gallon container (such as a plastic ice cream bucket) with water. This represents all the water on Earth. 
• Pour one half-cup of water out of the one-gallon container and into a clear bowl. The water in the bowl represents all of the freshwater on Earth, which is less than three percent of the total water on Earth. Freshwater is found in lakes, rivers, groundwater, ice and living things. The 15 half-cups that are still in the one-gallon container represent salt water. We cannot use salt water without first removing the salt in a process known as desalination. Though research and technology are improving this process, it is still prohibitively expensive and often impractical.
• With an eyedropper, place one drop of water from the half-cup onto a small plate. This one drop represents the freshwater that is available for our use. This water is found in rivers and lakes. Explain that the rest of the water in the half-cup is deep groundwater, water bound up as soil moisture, water in living things or water in the atmosphere.
• Share the statistics found in the Did You Know? section of the lesson.
• Help students conclude from the demonstration that water is a limited natural resource. Ask, “How are water and agriculture related?” Use further guiding questions until students recognize that farmers must use a portion of our water supply to grow the crops and raise the livestock that provide our food supply. Ask students, “What practices can farmers use to conserve and protect freshwater?” Inform students that they will be learning about how water use in agriculture can be managed to provide food more sustainably for our growing population.

Explore and Explain

Activity 1:

• Open the Water slide deck.

• Slide 4: Ask students, “What do farmers need to grow a crop?” Use the click animations on the slide deck to display open space, fertile soil, sunshine, correct climate and seeds. Once these items have been discussed, explain that there is one more item. Without it, the crop will fail completely. Ask students what this could be. (water)
• Slide 6: Drip Irrigation—Using the picture, describe drip irrigation. Water is sent through plastic pipes that are laid along the crop rows. Tiny holes allow water to drip at the base of the plants. This method is most effective for fruit and vegetable crops.
• Slide 7: Center-Pivot Irrigation—Using the picture, describe center-pivot irrigation. This is a large sprinkling system on wheels. A line of sprinklers pivots around a center point in a field. This method of irrigation is what creates green crop circles that can be seen from a plane.
• Slide 9: Flood/Furrow Irrigation—Using the picture, describe flood or furrow irrigation. To utilize this method of irrigation, farmers dig furrows between their crop rows. Water is delivered to the top of each row using ditches or siphon hoses. The crop is irrigated as the water flows from the top to the bottom of each row.

• Help students recall the definition of best practice . Next, apply the principle to water conservation and ask for ideas of how farmers can conserve water as they grow our food and fiber.
• Slide 12: Refer back to the video clip they viewed at the beginning of the lesson. It described a practice called conservation tillage . Explain that farmers will leave crop residue (materials such as stalks, stems and seeds) in their fields without plowing it under in the fall. In the spring, they use an air seeder (device that precisely plants the seeds at equal distances and proper depth in the soil and then covers them) to plant the next crop, eliminating the need to plow the soil. Conservation tillage improves water-use efficiency in crops.
• Slide 13: Explain that a riparian area is a space between land and a waterway, ideally filled with native grasses, shrubs and trees. Landowners can improve water quality by preserving wetland and riparian areas, which have many benefits. These areas help filter nutrients that are collected as water runs over the land; help control water levels during floods; and provide habitat for animals. If possible, use a local riparian area as an example to help students understand.
• Slide 14: Explain to students that some methods of irrigation are more efficient than others. Best practices in irrigation vary by farm and crop, but they will generally enable farmers to decrease water evaporation, deliver water more directly to plant roots (eliminating water loss to other locations or from runoff), and measure precise soil moisture for exact watering.
• Slide 15: Ask students, “How can we protect and conserve water at home and in our schools and communities?” As students discuss answers, reinforce the concept that our actions affect our natural resources. Water conservation ideas include: turning off the water while brushing your teeth, using low flow toilets, using water bottles and refill stations, decreasing shower times, etc.

• In this level of the game you will primarily be managing water use. There will be a water meter on the left side of the screen that you will need to pay close attention to.
• The game is simulated for the year 2030.
• Stop when you finish farming in the last country.
• Total game time is 15 minutes (5 minutes in each country)
• What were your limiting factors?
• Did you find it difficult to have enough water for your crops? Why is freshwater conservation and preservation important? How did the weather impact your crops?
• What ripple effects did you notice from your investments?

Use the following supplementary videos:

• What Is a Watershed?  (1:17 min)
• Why Should You Care About Our Watersheds?  (2:04 min)

Display a map of the world and ask students, “Which countries have the least available freshwater?” Allow students to offer their guesses and proceed to ask, “Which countries have the most available freshwater?” Discuss reasons why. Through class discussion, help students more fully recognize that across the globe not everyone has access to a reliable freshwater source. Discuss factors that impact water availability and daily water use per person (estimate liters or gallons by country). Access data from  FAO  website .

Display a map of your local watershed so students can see where water flows from and to in your area. Every action you take impacts our community and our neighbors downstream. Point out to students that in some countries they can’t drink water from the tap because it is contaminated. Every day we must protect and conserve water.

The Journey 2050 lessons provide an introduction to agricultural sustainability. Take a deeper dive into additional sustainability topics using the links found on the Sustainability page.

Have students play the Water Savers board game.

Summarize the following key points (slide 19):

• Water is a natural resource critical to agriculture.
• Although the majority of Earth is made up of water, only a small fraction is actually usable.
• Farmers improve their water efficiency by using water conservation practices and technologies such as irrigation (with moisture sensors), conservation tillage and riparian areas.
• Some regions of the world face greater threats to their water supply than others.
• https://water.usgs.gov/edu/pdf/earthwherewater.pdf
• http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/130033/icode/
• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/world-population-water-stress-2050-climate-change/
• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kidsnetwork/water/session_01.html
• https://www.thefashionlaw.com/how-many-gallons-of-water-does-it-take-to-make-a-single-pair-of-jeans/
• http://www.borgenmagazine.com/impact-drip-irrigation-crop-per-drop/
• http://www.fao.org/docrep/t1696e/t1696e09.htm
• https://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html
• https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/freshwater-lakes-and-rivers-and-water-cycle
• http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/flow/pdf/U2/FLOW-U2-L3-MICHU-08-402.pdf
• http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-practices-management/irrigation-water-use.aspx

Acknowledgements

The  Journey 2050 program was originally developed by Nutrien in collaboration with Calgary Stampede, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Nutrients for Life Foundation, and Agriculture in the Classroom Canada. Authors and contributors were drawn from each of these organizations under the direction of Lindsey Verhaeghe (Nutrien) and Robyn Kurbel (Calgary Stampede.) The lessons were updated and revised in 2017 and 2022 with contributions from the original J2050 Steering Committee, the National Center for Agricultural Literacy, and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. 

Recommended Companion Resources

• Agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals
• Agronomy - Grow with It!
• Journey 2050 Program Summary: Project-Based Learning
• Planet Zorcon
• Project WET
• The Story of Bottled Water video
• The USGS Water Science School
• Using Technology to Save Water
• Water Savers
• Wiki Watershed
• World Population History

Organization

Agriculture and the environment.

• Evaluate the various definitions of “sustainable agriculture,” considering population growth, carbon footprint, environmental systems, land and water resources, and economics (T1.9-12.f)
• Describe resource and conservation management practices used in agricultural systems (e.g., riparian management, rotational grazing, no till farming, crop and variety selection, wildlife management, timber harvesting techniques) (T1.9-12.b)

Culture, Society, Economy & Geography

• Communicate how the global agricultural economy and population influences the sustainability of communities and societies (T5.9-12.a)
• Compare and contrast the economic challenges facing developed and under-developed countries (poverty, population, and hunger) (T5.9-12.c)
• Discuss how agricultural practices have increased agricultural productivity and have impacted (pro and con) the development of the global economy, population, and sustainability (T5.9-12.e)

Education Content Standards

Career & technical education (career).

AFNR (Grades 9-12) Natural Resource Systems Career Pathway

• NRS.01.02    Classify different types of natural resources in order to enable protection, conservation, enhancement and management in a particular geographical region.
• NRS.02.02    Assess the impact of human activities on the availability of natural resources.
• NRS.03.01    Sustainably produce, harvest, process and use natural resource products (e.g., forest products, wildlife, minerals, fossil fuels, shale oil, alternative energy, recreation, aquatic species, etc.).

Social Studies - Economics (ECONOMICS)

Economics Standard 1 (Grades 9-12) Scarcity

• Objective (Grades 9-12)    Identify what they gain and what they give up when they make choices.

Economics Standard 2 (Grades 9-12) Decision Making

• Objective (Grades 9-12)    Make effective decisions as consumers, producers, savers, investors, and citizens.

Social Studies - History (HISTORY)

NCSS 8 (Grades 9-12): Science, Technology, and Society

• Objective 2    Science and technology have had both positive and negative impacts upon individuals, societies, and the environment in the past and present.
• Objective 9    Science, technology, and their consequences are unevenly available across the globe.
• Objective 10    Science and technology have contributed to making the world increasingly interdependent.
• Objective 11    That achievements in science and technology are increasing at a rapid pace and can have both planned and unanticipated consequences.
• Objective 12    Developments in science and technology may help to address global issues.

NCSS 9 (Grades 9-12): Global Connections

• Objective 4    The actions of people, communities, and nations have both short-and long-term effects on the biosphere and its ability to sustain life.

NCSS 3 (Grades 9-12): People, Places, and Environments

• Objective 3    Consequences of changes in regional and global physical systems, such as seasons, climate, and weather, and the water cycle.

Science (SCIENCE)

HS-ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

• HS-ESS3-4    Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

HS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• HS-LS2-7    Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

APES Unit 5 Land and Water Use

• STB-1.A Introduction to Sustainability    Explain the concept of sustainability.
• STB-1.E Sustainable Agriculture    Describe sustainable agricultural and food production practices.

Common Core Connections

Anchor standards: reading.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

Anchor Standards: Speaking and Listening

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.