Abstract
Many farmers, and the large set of downstream operators who depend on their farm products, have become dependent on groundwater resources, which are declining in many parts of the world. Farmers have to reduce water consumption by growing crops with lower water requirements, or apply optimal irrigation strategies. The strategies they choose can have major consequences for downstream operators and agro‐industries. This paper presents an analysis of the impacts on, and consequences of, high water restrictions for the subsectors. The analysis was conducted in collaboration with local stakeholders in the region of Beauce, France. Adaptations and strategies to face up to reduced water availability were analysed in economic and technical terms for both farmers and downstream operators. Participatory workshops brought together different downstream operators who could become competitors for the same resource and highlighted interactions between operators in the same subsector as well as interactions between different sectors. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.