Reviving Navajo Lands: Ancient Farming Techniques Breathe Life into Parched Earth

Photo byThePollinationProject/Flickr/

With the increasing frequency of extreme climate events, including severe droughts, floods, and unprecedented heat waves, the need for sustainable solutions to restore ecosystems and ensure food security in remote areas has never been more urgent. Traditional farming practices could be the key to addressing these challenges. In the arid Black Mesa region, Navajo farmers are reviving ancient farming methods to restore watersheds and heal their fragile ecosystems, which have suffered from overgrazing, punishing heat, and seasonal flooding. 

Danielle Kaye builds a berm spillway on the farm of Roberto Nutlouis. The berm holds back water, flooding the cornfield behind it.Photo byRoberto Nutlouis

Despite the harsh conditions of the arid Black Mesa region, the area once thrived with traditional farming practices, thanks to the indigenous knowledge of the native people. Today, the Diné are using this knowledge to revive ancient methods, such as building rock and stick structures, which store water and prevent erosion on the farming land.

Roberto Nutlouis' farmPhoto byRoberto Nutlouis

The Diné (the Navajo term for their community) recognize how climate change intensifies the weather patterns on their semi-arid plateau, making them increasingly severe and damaging. In 2023, the Navajo government declared a state of emergency due to soaring temperatures. With average precipitation in the Black Mesa averaging just six to sixteen inches per year, the extreme heat evaporates whatever little water there is. 

The Diné, like many other peoples who live in arid regions, have long used naturally made structures to help capture and control water for growing crops and to lessen the effects of flooding during monsoon seasons. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey call these structures ‘Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Streams’ (NIDS for short) and note that their placement in gullies helps to slow water to mitigate erosion, collect nutrient-rich sediment, help to store carob and increase downstream water availability. A New Mexico Geological Survey from 2008 stated that these structures; “are a major input into keeping the fertility of the soils up.” Such small watersheds are optimal: “These gentle slopes and small watersheds allow runoff but reduce the possibility of high runoff velocities that may damage crops.”

Workers construct a rock apron to slow the flow of stream water and stem erosion.Photo byRoberto Nutlouis

Another indigenous farming practice is building ‘brush dams', built over many years by many hands and slowing stream water flow. They also help stem erosion and increase water availability and native vegetation, such as small Juniper and Cottonwood trees popping up around the arid landscape. 

Nihikeya volunteers planting squash plants in fields to rehabilitate floodplains.Photo byhttps://healfoodalliance.org/

A local non-for-profit, Nihikeya (loosely translated as a collective ecological footprint), is a grassroots Diné organization with the mission: “to restore regenerative systems (ecological, social, economic, cultural) guided by Dine teachings and innovative solutions that build long-term, locally based economic systems that place value not only on profits but also on protecting and preserving lands, waters, air, culture, and future generations.” The organization has been a crucial partner in the community for reintroducing and developing native farming practices in the area. It also plays a significant role in collaborating with other organizations focusing on food sovereignty and water rights and restoring native plants to fight desertification, demonstrating the collective effort in promoting sustainable farming practices. 

Roberto Nutlouis.Photo byRoberto Nutlouis

As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, the Diné of Black Mesa stands as a beacon of resilience and innovation. By reviving ancestral farming techniques and harnessing the wisdom passed down through generations, they steadfastly combat the adverse effects of climate change and pave the way for sustainable living in harsh environments. Their unwavering commitment to restoring ecosystems and ensuring food security through natural infrastructure and community-driven efforts is a powerful testament to human resilience and the potential for positive change in the face of adversity.