Researchers from Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources have received a $1.8 million grant from the USDA Agriculture & Food Research Initiative's Sustainable Agricultural Systems Program. The study is aimed at fostering sustainable practices and resilient systems that can mitigate impacts of declining water supplies and changing climate conditions.
The project’s transdisciplinary approach spans teaching, research, extension and engagement, and is part of more than $10 million in total grant funding involving other universities.
The overall goal for the five-year Texas Tech portion of the project is to support producers in adapting to climate change and enhancing their resilience. The focus is on developing best management practices and socio-economic support systems that enable a successful transition from irrigated farm systems to economically sustainable and climate smart production systems.
Kansas State University is leading the effort, along with agriculture researchers from Texas Tech and Oklahoma State University, along with collaborators from NASA and Colardo State University.
“Grand challenges like water sustainability and climate adaptation require broad-based, multi-disciplinary approaches to reach meaningful, workable solutions,” said Davis College Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives Darren Hudson. “This grant highlights the outstanding research capabilities in Davis College combined with scientific colleagues across the Great Plains to meet this challenge.”
“Sustainable water systems is a key strategic priority for Davis College,” he added, “and this grant project is a cornerstone of building out trans-disciplinary research capacity to address water issues for our region, nation, and the broader world.”
Krishna Jagadish, the Thornton Distinguished Chair and Professor of Crop-Forage-Livestock Systems in the Department of Plant & Soil Science, will direct the Texas Tech portion of the regionally focused project titled, “Sustainable Irrigation and Climate Adaptation in Southern High Plains: A Satellite-Enabled and Peer-Led Model.”
"It is exciting that the three Water Centers at TTU, KSU and OSU in collaboration with NASA and CSU Water Centers are embarking on a mission to develop solutions to extend the life of the Ogallala Aquifer,” Jagadish said, “This will be achieved by developing producer friendly advanced irrigation guidelines and tools that will cut across borders and provide options for producers across the Southern Ogallala Region."
Jagadish is joined by Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science Joey Young; Agricultural & Applied Economics Assistant Professor Donna Mitchell McCallister; Associate Professor of Crop Ecophysiology & Precision Agriculture Wenxuan Guo; Texas Alliance for Water Conservation Project Director Samantha Borgstedt; and George W. McCleskey Professor of Water Law and Director of the Texas Tech Center for Water Law & Policy Amy Hardberger.
“The Texas Tech Center for Water Law and Policy will evaluate the groundwater laws of the study areas to better understand how existing regulations promote or inhibit the implementation of water-saving technologies,” said Hardberger, who also serves as the McCleskey Professor of Law at the Texas Tech School of Law. “Best practices will be proposed for jurisdictions who wish to avoid unintended consequences and ensure efficient use of local water resources.”
CONTACT: Krishna Jagadish, Interim Department Chair, Department of Plant & Soil Science, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-7953 or kjagadish.sv@ttu.edu
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