On Saturday 26 November, the BBC World News Horizons series returns to the United States to look at how the farming industry is responding to one of the worst droughts in the century.

The United States is home to more arable land than any other nation, but insufficient rainfall in recent years means the livelihood of farmers are in danger. Horizons presenter, Adam Shaw, visits Texas, the third largest exporter of farming commodities in the United States, to see how Texans are finding new ways to feed crops to enable the State to increase yields for its population of 24 million.

Adam also visits Bluebonnet farm, which uses a method called hydroponics that consumes a fraction of the water and space that traditional farming methods use. The system grows plants in water using mineral nutrient solutions without soil.

Every year between 20 and 50 thousand square kilometres of arable land is lost in Texas due to soil degradation – a consequence of drought. Flying over Texas, Adam demonstrates how sophisticated new methods of irrigation allow crops to grow in an arid and windy climate. These large scale cotton and wheat farmers are increasing yields with remote control pivot irrigation technology. Some fields are only kept alive through an irrigation system operated by a central pivot that rotates automatically and is controlled by a mobile phone.

This ten-part second series of Horizons travels across the globe to destinations to find out about the business ideas that could shape mankind’s future.

The Horizons series, sponsored by DuPont, airs weekly on Saturdays at 7:30, 9:30 and 23:30, and Sundays at 17:30 (Singapore Time). For programme highlights and an insight into the future of global business visit www.horizonsbusiness.com. For all the latest news, behind-the-scenes pictures/videos and updates from Adam Shaw please follow at facebook.com/horizonsTVseries and/or on twitter at @horizonsbiz.