These days you can find Conrad Weaver hunkered down in his editing room, frantically putting the final touches on a project a long time in the making. His documentary, Thirsty Land, is scheduled to debut at the Water for Food global conference on April 24th. Its impact is sure to reach across the nation.
The project tells the story of the importance of water to agriculture and food production– or really the lack of water. While the film covers much of the American west, the focus is on the nation’s most severe drought. A drought that continues even though filming is complete.
“Kind of the heart of the film is in the Central Valley in California. And the impacts taking place there are still very significant. So we’re going to tell that story,” Weaver tells AgWired.
Weaver thanks his sponsors for their support in sharing this story with the world. Donors include individuals, associations, companies and corporations like Peter Irrigation, American Society of Agronomy, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Valley Irrigation and the Irrigation Association. And while the film will be ready for viewing in about a month the project is a long way from over.
“We are continuing to raise funds– what I’m calling finishing funds. Basically enough to put the final touches on this film and then for distribution, for marketing. And that’s really an urgent need right now, to get the funds to get the word out and to promote this project around the country. And so we are looking for people to come on board to do that,” Weaver explains.
To make a donation go to thirstylandmovie.com and click on the sponsorship tab. Donations go through the AgChat Foundation and are tax deductible.
The story of water affects us all, Weaver says. First is affects farmers and their employees, then the communities where they live, but eventually the drought will be felt as far away as his home state of Maryland.
AgWired will continue to sponsor this film with news coverage, so check back to hear more. Learn more about the movie and how you can be part of this story listen to the full interview here: Interview with Conrad Weaver, Thirsty Land