Making sure everyone has enough food while also managing water resources is a big worldwide challenge. Since farming uses more than 70% of the world’s freshwater, it is important to use water wisely for growing food. The concept called the water-food nexus looks at how water and food production are connected. A key part of this is the “water footprint,” which means the total amount of water used to grow food, including both direct and indirect use.

By studying the water footprint, we can find ways to save water in farming. In this research, scientists used a computer model to study how much water is needed to grow peanuts in the southeastern United States. They checked the model’s accuracy using data from two farms in Florida. Then, they used the model to look at 30 years of data from the main peanut-growing areas in Florida and Georgia.

The study found that if farmers irrigate their crops when 40-50% of the soil’s water is used up, they can use much less irrigation water (reducing the “blue” water footprint by about 23-31%) but still keep good crop yields. This helps make farming more efficient and saves water for other needs.