Pistachios link Iran and US amidst land subsidence
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Farmers in Rafsanjan, Iran, and California’s Central Valley are both experiencing sinking land as they draw water to irrigate pistachio orchards.
For generations, Rafsanjan farmers like Armin have grown pistachios, but increasing drought and groundwater extraction are causing the ground to sink as much as 37 centimeters per year, threatening the future of farming for his family.
California pistachio growers, who began cultivating the crop using Iranian varieties in the 1960s, now produce the world’s largest crop, but also face land subsidence and water challenges. Both regions rely heavily on groundwater for irrigation, leading to aquifer collapse and sinking land, a problem scientists in Iran identify as human-caused. While California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in 2014 to balance water use and recharge aquifers, and has seen some groundwater level increases, large areas still sink.
In Iran, scientists have drafted regulations to manage subsidence, but approval and implementation face political hurdles. Armin notes that while he tries to learn from US growers, older farmers resist changing traditional flood-irrigation methods, which waste water. Despite the challenges, Armin views the pistachio as representing the history and livelihood of his community, having funded education, weddings, and a better life for generations.
