DWFI Podcast 14 – Jackson Stansell, Sentinel Fertigation

Cindy Zimmerman

Jackson Stansell is CEO and founder of Sentinel Fertigation, a Lincoln, Nebraska ag startup founded in 2021 that uses drone- and satellite-collected imagery to predict when a corn crop needs fertilization — saving growers money and reducing environmental impact. Jackson has a connection to the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. He received student support from the institute while working …

AgWired Precision, Audio, Fertilizer, Irrigation, Precision Agriculture, Sustainability, Water, Water for Food

DWFI Podcast – Business Ecosystem in Rwanda

Cindy Zimmerman

Of Rwanda’s roughly 600,000 hectares of irrigable land, only 10% is currently irrigated. With a more developed irrigation industry, farmers would be able to take advantage of three growing seasons, rather than one, enabling better food security and income. However, there are gaps in knowledge needed to advance the industry. Seeking to make these advancements accessible, staff at the Daugherty …

Audio, International, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

Daugherty Water for Food Podcast Episode 9

Cindy Zimmerman

This episode of the Daugherty Water for Food podcast features Babak Safa, a postdoctoral research associate with the Water for Food Global Institute who specializes in agricultural meteorology, micro-meteorology and vegetation-atmosphere interaction. Safa analyzes eddy covariance flux data from installed systems to support remote sensing based model verification and water productivity estimates for several agricultural and natural ecosystems and projects …

AgWired Precision, Audio, Farming, Food, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

USDA Grant Program for Producers to Use Propane

Cindy Zimmerman

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is encouraging farmers to apply soon for a limited-time offer from USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Grant to receive a 25 percent grant for replacing a diesel irrigation engine with a propane-powered engine. The USDA REAP recently announced Nov. 2 as its fall deadline for the Renewable Energy systems and Energy …

Irrigation, PERC, Propane, USDA

Irrigation Innovation Critical to Water for Food

Cindy Zimmerman

Innovation in irrigation is critical for the future of water for a hungry world and the irrigation industry was happy to play a role in the 2019 Water for Food Global Conference this week in Lincoln, Nebraska. “This one conference brings all the top agriculture folks together,” said Irrigation Association CEO Deborah Hamlin. “This whole conference and Daugherty Institute was …

AgWired Precision, Audio, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

Foundation Grants $5 million for Irrigation Innovation

Cindy Zimmerman

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), a nonprofit organization established by the 2014 Farm Bill, has awarded a $5 million grant to launch the Irrigation Innovation Consortium. The purpose of the consortium is to “accelerate the development and adoption of water and energy efficient irrigation technologies and practices through public-private partnerships.” The $5 million FFAR grant was matched …

AgWired Precision, Irrigation, Water for Food

Nebraska Water for Food at 8th World Water Forum in Brazil

Cindy Zimmerman

The 8th World Water Forum, held in Brazil last month, drew more than 20,000 participants from 170 countries to focus on the challenges and solutions to ensuring water security around the world. The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska (DWFI) coordinated the Water for Food track of sessions with the Food and Agriculture …

AgWired Precision, Audio, International, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

ICYMI: Water for Food International Forum

Cindy Zimmerman

The Water for Food International Forum, produced by the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska and The World Bank, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Agency for International Development, was held January 29 – 30, 2018 at The World Bank in Washington DC. The theme was Farmer-Led Irrigated …

Farming, Food, International, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

Water For Food Charts the Way Forward

Cindy Zimmerman

The Water for Food International Forum last week ended on a high note as more than 40 high-level participants from around the globe shared their vision for and commitment to how the private and public sectors can work toward expanding access to irrigation. Kicking off the very large round table discussion was World Food Programme Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, Distinguished Fellow …

AgWired Precision, International, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

Farmer-led Irrigation is Focus of Forum

Cindy Zimmerman

Over 200 attendees from around the world are gathered in Washington D.C. this week to focus on opportunities for farmer-led irrigated agriculture for small holder farmers in developing countries. The international forum is being produced jointly by the World Bank and the Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska. “This forum is really is a culmination of …

Audio, International, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food