The Great Arizona Water Grab

If ever there were an instance of the need for local control over resources, this is one. In Arizona in the drought-stricken western United States, land has been sold to Saudi Arabian and other countries to grow, of all things, alfalfa, which is then shipped back to Saudi Arabia to feed animals. Alfalfa is a water-intensive crop, and local residents in Arizona are facing the drying up of their water resources – their wells are literally running dry – as these Saudi corporations siphon out water, basically exporting the precious resource back home. Local people should control local resources, it’s as simple as that. And, the use of scarce resources like water in a dry region needs to be carefully considered and regulated in order to benefit the maximum number of people, serving their basic needs, not corporate profits. Especially as the world faces increasing shortages and droughts due to climate change, wise policies of local control and resource use need to be developed and strictly adhered to. Local and regional planning is the way to go.