The Work of Water Resilience

At the Dry Farming Institute, we believe farmers can thrive with less water.

Our mission is to empower growers with the knowledge, tools, and community they need to succeed in a water-scarce future. Through collaborative on-farm research, grower-led demonstrations, and education, we help growers explore dry farming and other water-resilient agricultural practices that protect their livelihoods and the landscapes they steward. We have land-based work in the Willamette Valley Oregon and work collaboratively with farmers across the PNW.

At the heart of our work is a simple commitment: listen to farmers, respond to their needs, and build a community of practice that supports them.

This work has never been more urgent.

The United Nations warns that the world has entered an era of global water bankruptcy—a reality in which water demand increasingly exceeds reliable supply. For farmers in the western United States, this crisis is already unfolding through prolonged drought, climate instability, and limited access to water rights.

The Dry Farming Institute works directly with farmers facing these challenges today. Together, we experiment with practical strategies for producing food with less water, combining dry farming with regenerative practices that build healthier, more resilient soils.

By strengthening soil ecosystems and using water more efficiently, farmers can grow nutritious food while stewarding precious water resources.

Our Work

The Dry Farming Institute advances water resilience through several interconnected programs that:

🌱 Equip farmers with tools and training
We provide practical guidance and technical support through programs like the Water Resilience Toolkit.

🌾 Advance farmer-led research
Through on-farm trials and demonstrations, farmers test drought-resilient practices and share what works.

🌍 Build a thriving network of growers
We convene farmers, researchers, and agricultural leaders to exchange knowledge and support one another.

🌿 Promote resilient crops, new markets and better practices
Our Seed Directory and dry farming marketing outreach help expand access to drought-tolerant varieties and regenerative methods while also building awareness and demand for dry-farmed products.

Together, these efforts build a thriving community of practice dedicated to water-resilient agriculture.

Our Impact

We have worked to:

Equip hundreds of farmers and agricultural professionals with the tools to adopt water-resilient and regenerative practices across diverse crops and landscapes
Support dozens of farmer-led experimentation through demonstrations, on-farm research, and community learning events
Strengthen a growing network of over 200+ farmers transforming their relationship to water and land stewardship

This work helps ensure that farmers can continue producing food even as water becomes more scarce.

Why We Need Your Support Now

Climate change, water scarcity, and inequitable access to water rights are reshaping the future of agriculture across the American West.

For many farmers, especially new and beginning growers, small and mid-sized farms, and those without reliable water rights, these challenges threaten their ability to stay on the land.

The Dry Farming Institute is working to change that. However, this work is more challenged now than ever. Just as we enter an unprecedented drought in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, growers need hopeful solutions to hotter and drier conditions more than ever and yet during this time, we are facing unprecedented challenges with fundraising to support the work of this organization.

At The Dry Farming Institute, we believe that equipping farmers with the knowledge, tools, and community support needed to adapt, we are helping agriculture transition toward a future where thriving with less water is not just possible, but sustainable.

Our work draws on both innovation and tradition, honoring historically and culturally informed regenerative farming practices that have long existed in water-limited environments.

But we cannot do this work alone.

Your support helps farmers build resilience, steward natural resources, and continue feeding our communities in a changing climate.

The Project

For this project, we aim to:

1. Pilot the Water Resilience Toolkit (WRT 1.0)
Partner with farmers and service providers to test and refine a practical, grower-centered toolkit for adopting water-resilient practices grounded in regenerative agriculture.

This work builds on over a decade of participatory research initiated at Oregon State University and expanded through Dry Farming Institute trials. The pilot will deliver an adaptable, field-tested resource while strengthening peer-to-peer learning.

2. Expand technical advising capacity on water resilience efforts in the bioregion
Integrate expertise from the Dry Farming Institute, along with Permaculture specialist, Andrew Millison at Oregon State University; soil scientist Andy Gallagher; and extension partners at Oregon State University extension provide high-quality, on-the-ground guidance.

3. Produce a flagship storytelling and fundraising campaign
Develop a short documentary video (via Earth Repair Fund) capturing dry farming in Oregon during the 2026 growing season, including drought impacts and farmer innovation.

4. Grow a statewide community of practice
Strengthen our ability to serve diverse agricultural communities across Oregon by expanding accessible resources and sharing real-world case studies.

By project completion, we will publish durable, farmer-informed case studies through the Toolkit—demonstrating practical pathways to water resilience and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Funding Request

Total: $50,000