The Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) today announced the award of a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will be used to host a two-day workshop. The workshop will bring together leading scientific minds from the fields of economics, agronomy, and hydrology, as well as several engineering disciplines, for the purpose of discussing the challenges of our increasingly complex food, energy, and water system.

As population increases, so too does the demand for both food and energy. With the introduction of new biofuel technologies and policies, agricultural production now has a dual role in fulfilling demands from both the energy and food sectors. However, food and energy production are integral to sustainable land and water use, and sound scientific research and policy decisions are required to assure the stability and sustainability of both sectors.

Workshop participants will discuss the key scientific, engineering, and data challenges associated with modelling and understanding the food, energy, and water system. The workshop will result in the production of a white paper, which will help guide future agricultural, environmental, and energy policy decisions.

“We’re honored to be given the opportunity to bring together well-known scientists from various disciplines for this workshop,” said Catherine Kling, director of CARD, “and working closely with NSF to produce a white paper that will help influence and guide future research and policy decisions is very exciting.”