Only 4.4 per cent of Alberta farmland is irrigated but it accounts for more than a quarter of primary agricultural sales in the province.
That’s one of the biggest numbers in an updated study done for the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association, which was released in early winter.
The study uses the same methodology as an earlier one that covered the years 2000 to 2011 to provide updated economic impact numbers for Alberta’s 13 irrigation districts during the period 2011 to 2018.
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And it found that irrigation “had a greater impact on the provincial economy” in the most recent period, the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association said in a release.
“Irrigated land… annually contributes $5.4 billion to provincial GDP and $3.2 billion in labour income and supports about 46,000 full-time-equivalent positions across the province,” the association said.
“Being able to supplement natural precipitation on farmland results in production of consistent and high-quality agricultural product to support Alberta agri-food processors. The study shows irrigation contributes 27 per cent of the total primary agricultural sales in Alberta and 28 per cent of Alberta’s total agri-food GDP.”
Other highlights of the report include:
- Cropland generated an average of $1.076 billion in sales yearly from just over 560,000 hectares (4.4 per cent of cultivated land in the province). Specialty crops are grown on about 22 per cent of that land.
- Livestock sales were about $2.2 billion yearly or about 38 per cent of total livestock sales.
- Irrigation-related food processing contributes just over $1 billion to the province’s GDP each year.
The report also says government support for the sector is a good investment.
“The study also examined the government of Alberta’s revenue-to-expenditure ratio for irrigation infrastructure finding that every $1 invested returns $3.56 in revenue to the province,” the irrigation districts’ association said in its release. “The government of Alberta’s support of irrigation infrastructure maintenance ensures efficient and reliable delivery of high quality, to southern Alberta agricultural producers while providing the province with a significant return on investment.
The report (titled The Economic Value of Alberta’s Irrigation Districts) can be found at albertairrigation.ca.
