A look at the evolution of the Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska, from inception to global influence. (2009 - 2015)

1. THE WATER FOR FOOD STORY AND
OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE
Eureka Conference, Nebraska Innovation Campus
March 15-16, 2016

2. BOB DAUGHERTY AND HIS VISION

3. The first Water for Food Conference -- 2009

4. 2010: FUND AGREEMENT WITH ROBERT B.
DAUGHERTY FOUNDATION
• $50 Million Grant to be
expended over 15 years, in
three tranches
• Clear benchmarks and
timelines

5. 2011: INITIAL HOME IN THE WHITTIER BUILDING

6. IN
6

8. RECRUITING LEADERSHIP TEAM AND STAFF
INTEGRATING NEBRASKA WATER CENTER

10. The Challenge of
Managing Water
for Food Security

11. Food
• Increasing global consumption -
- population growth, rising
incomes, changing diets
• Limited opportunities for
expansion in cropland
• Changes in land use -- land
degradation, non-food crops
• Yield increases reaching a
plateau in many places
• Climate change impacts
Water
• Increasing competition by other
water users – principally cities
(people and industry)
• Environmental water needs
often unmet
• Decreasing quality as well as
quantity
• Soil erosion and deteriorating
soil health
• Groundwater depletion
• Climate Change Impacts

12. FOOD SECURITY
Photo: Greg Rodgers
Photo: Roberto LentonPhoto: Catherine Pond
Food Availability Food Access Food Use
“When everyone, everywhere, has
access to enough safe and nutritious
food for a healthy, active life”

13. WATER SECURITY
“The reliable availability of an acceptable quantity and quality of
water for health, livelihoods and production, coupled with an
acceptable level of water-related risks."
Source: Grey, David; Sadoff, Claudia (2007), Sink or Swim? Water security for
growth and development, Water Policy, 2007

14. MANAGING WATER FOR FOOD SECURITY
• Ensuring both water security and
food security
• Attaining sustainable global food
security in the face of increasing
competition for scarce water
resources

15. Our
approach

16. WHAT CAN WE OFFER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
NEBRASKA?
BREBS locationsBREBS locations
Scottsbluff
Omaha
Lincoln
Eddy covariance system

17. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA:
EXPERTISE IN WATER AND FOOD ISSUES AND BEYOND
• Water sciences
• Agricultural sciences
• Social sciences
• Information sciences
• Business Administration
• Public health

18. • Institute originated from private
sector innovation
• We interact frequently with
private sector partners, including
at Water for Food Conferences
• We are based at the Nebraska
Innovation Campus— designed
to promote public-private R&D

19. TRADITION OF ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH
FARMERS:
THE NEBRASKA AGRICULTURAL WATER
MANAGEMENT NETWORK
• The network fosters adoption of newer
water management technologies based
on soil moisture sensors
• Helps farmers reduce water withdrawal
and energy consumption

20. NEBRASKA’S EXPERIENCE: HIGH-PRODUCTIVITY
IRRIGATION

21. NEBRASKA’S 23 NATURAL RESOURCE DISTRICTS

22. OUR INSTITUTIONAL VISION:
A DISTRIBUTED INSTITUTE
• Drawing on Faculty Fellows and affiliates and
centers of expertise across the University
• Expanding our reach through partnerships
UNL wheat breeder Steve
Baenziger and students

23. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING: EXTENDING OUR GLOBAL
REACH

26. Subject Areas
of
Focus

27. SUBJECT AREAS OF FOCUS
• Closing Water and Agricultural Productivity Gaps
• Groundwater Management for Agricultural Production
• Enhancing High-productivity Irrigated Agriculture
• Agro-ecosystems and Public Health
Cross-cutting subject: Management of agricultural drought

28. Yield Potential
(Yp)
Attainable
Yield
75-85% Yp
Average
Farm Yield
Exploitable yield gap
YieldLevel CROP YIELD GAPS

29. CLOSING WATER PRODUCTIVITY GAPS:
Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network
Active Engagement
New Technologies
Impact: Reduction In Water Withdrawals For Total
Area Per Crop Growing Season

30. Groundwater Management: How do we achieve sustainability?

32. DROUGHT MANAGEMENT

33. DROUGHT MONITORING

34. WATER MANAGEMENT IS CRITICAL, TOO

36. REDUCING WATER USE: More crop per drop

37. CURRENT GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS
• Nebraska and the surrounding food-producing heartland of
the USA
• India, China and Brazil – big food producing countries
experiencing significant water stress
• Select countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (starting with
Tanzania), where food security concerns greatest and good
water management is key
• Select countries in MENA region, the area of greatest water
scarcity in the world

38. Examples of
activities

39. Global Yield Gap and Water
Productivity Atlas
Website: www.yieldgap.org
Drier savanna
Moist savanna
Humid forest
Midaltitude savanna

40. Global Yield Gap and Water
Productivity Atlas
• A publically available,
graphically intuitive atlas that
estimates crop yield and water
productivity gaps at field,
regional and national scales.
Ethiopia
Kenya
Tanzania

41. CIRCLES: TANZANIA PILOT PROJECT
41

42. EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION
• Partnership with UNESCO-IHE
Institute for Water Education in
Delft, the Netherlands:
– Dual Degree Program: students
study agricultural water management
in Nebraska and the Netherlands
– Student exchanges, e.g. field
methods course
• Internships and fellowships for
undergraduate and graduate
students and post-docs

43. RESEARCH-BASED POLICY DIALOGUE:
The Annual Water for Food Global Conferences
Photos courtesy of University Communications

44. UPCOMING CONFERENCE

45. GOING
FORWARD

46. THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES
•Subject area only increasing in
importance
•Local and global resonance
•Engaging more and more faculty
across University

47. THE BIG CHALLENGES
•Impact-driven Research and
Engagement
•Long-term Financial
Sustainability

48. www.gwpforum.org
THANK YOU