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Nebraska: A Natural Laboratory

Diversity of climate and soils enables the testing of crops in 4 major agro-ecological zones Elevation changes from eastern (256 meters) to western (1,654 meters) Nebraska There are 86.4 cm rainfall annually in the east to 35.6 cm in the west. Nebraska: A Natural Laboratory.

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Nebraska: A Natural Laboratory

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  1. Diversity of climate and soils enables the testing of crops in 4 major agro-ecological zones • Elevation changes from eastern (256 meters) to western (1,654 meters) Nebraska • There are 86.4 cm rainfall annually in the east to 35.6 cm in the west Nebraska: A Natural Laboratory

  2. Major river systems: Platte, Loup, Republican High Plains Aquifercontains more than 2.5 million cubic kilometers of water Nebraska is #1 in irrigated cropland in the US Nebraska’s Water Resources

  3. Western part of U.S. Corn Beltwhich produces more than 40% of the world’s corn and soybeans 54% rainfed and 46% irrigated 47,400 farms and ranches, 18.4 million hectares of farmland Nebraska Agriculture

  4. Quantify agricultural system productivity, yield potential, and impact on the environment Model how high yields could rise while using natural resources sustainably Provide basis for predicting food security trends, food production capacity, and land use change Agriculture Systems Modeling

  5. Evapotranspiration (crop water use) Water productivity Irrigation and yield relationships Measurement and modeling of surface energy balances Soil and Water Resources Engineering

  6. Modeling of groundwater-surface water interactions Characterization of the High Plains and other aquifers of interest Aquifer Characterization

  7. National Drought Mitigation Center provides: • Leadership in drought management • Drought monitoring/early warning systems • Risk assessment/decision support tools Drought Risk and Mitigation/Climate Research

  8. 40% increase in population by 2050, doubling the demand for food By 2025, 2/3 of the population will be affected by scarcity Agriculture is responsible for 70% water withdrawals Water for food is a global challenge

  9. There is a growing gap

  10. Established in April, 2010 with a $50 million gift from the Robert B. Daugherty Charitable Foundation Vision: The Water for Food Institute is a research, education, and policy institutecommitted to helping the world efficiently use its limited freshwater resources, with particular focus on ensuring the food supply for current and future generations. Water for Food Institute

  11. Growing more food with less water Large-scale and small holder production Irrigated and rainfed agriculture The sustainability of water and agriculture systems Water for Food Institute will work on:

  12. Cooperative research programs International research fellows and visiting scholars Graduate and undergraduate programs Online delivery of academic programs Water for Food scholarly journal Annual Water for Food Conference Water for Food Institute Programs UNL wheat breeder Steve Baenziger and students

  13. Closing Slide Thank you waterforfood@nebraska.edu

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