In Chile, agriculture has faced significant challenges in recent years, particularly due to ongoing drought conditions. The prolonged “megadrought” that began in 2010 has significantly affected water availability across the country, especially in the northern regions. While the southern parts saw a return of higher rainfall in 2023, drought remains critical in areas like the Atacama and Coquimbo regions, where water reservoir levels are dangerously low. This water scarcity has forced farmers to adapt by implementing more efficient irrigation systems, investing in water storage, and integrating technology into their production processesUSDA FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICESTRATFOR WORLDVIEW.Additionally, the Chilean agricultural sector has experienced price fluctuations, partly due to the ongoing water stress and the need for more expensive inputs like irrigation equipment and chemicals. This has contributed to increased production costs and, at times, lower yields, particularly for crops like table grapes, where the area planted has declined in recent yearsUSDA FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE. This situation has forced both farmers and the government to explore solutions such as desalination plants to mitigate the long-term impacts of water scarcitySTRATFOR WORLDVIEW.
