As we continue to navigate through this global pandemic, the mission of DWFI—to secure more nutritious food with less stress on our scarce water resources—is more relevant and urgent than ever. We must expand and accelerate efforts to produce more nutritious food with less water; catalyze the development and deployment of solutions to the next generation of producers, water managers and entrepreneurs; strengthen water and food systems to adapt to water-related shocks; and reverse the wide-spread trend of water quality degradation.

This past year required us all to find ways to adapt to constraints on how we work and highlighted the importance of our network of committed partners. Students, faculty fellows, university leaders, producers, water managers and other stakeholders—both here and around the world—have developed creative ways to adjust to the challenges brought on by the re-occurring waves of the pandemic.

Despite the challenges and constraints, it has been a productive year, which would not have been possible on our own. I’d like to thank our staff, partners, donors, grant funders, Faculty Fellows, students, supporters and board of directors for your tireless efforts this past year. We look forward to developing more productive and resilient water for food systems and, sooner than later, getting to do so in person.