Better Water Management Will Make A Difference

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the availability of $10.7 million in funding for research that could solve critical water problems in rural and agricultural watersheds across the United States. This funding is available through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

“Finding solutions for dealing with water scarcity as well as maintaining water quality is critical for communities across the country and for the men and women who raise the food we eat,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Better water management practices, tools and technologies will make a difference for farmers, ranchers, and foresters who are constantly adapting to less predictable and more severe weather patterns.”

Established by the 2008 Farm Bill and re-authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, AFRI is the nation’s premier competitive, peer-reviewed grants program for fundamental and applied agricultural sciences. In the seven years since AFRI was established, the program has led to true innovations and ground-breaking discoveries in agriculture to combat childhood obesity, improve and sustain rural economic growth, address water availability issues, increase food production, find new sources of energy, mitigate the impacts of climate variability and enhance resiliency of our food systems, and ensure food safety.

This round of funding is offered through the AFRI Water for Agriculture Challenge Area, which funds projects that tackle critical water issues by developing both regional systems for the sustainable use and reuse, flow and management of water, and that address water issues focused on production and environmental sustainability efforts at the watershed and farm scale. There is also a focus on solutions for conserving higher quality water and understanding human behavior and its influence on decision making for agricultural water use in the Fiscal Year 2016 projects.

To date, more than $20.5 million in research, education and extension grants have been awarded through AFRI’s Water for Agriculture Challenge Area.

Applications are due August 4. Find the request for applications at nifa.usda.gov. More information about USDA’s work to mitigate climate change can be found in the Department’s most recent entry on medium.com, “How Food and Forestry Are Adapting to a Changing Climate.”