The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska has released its 2021 annual report online, showcasing the institute’s work over the past year — both local and global — related to water and food security.

Every day, nearly a billion people in the world are food-insecure, without enough safe and nutritious food to lead healthy and active lives. Many of them are also water-insecure, without reliable access to an adequate amount of clean water to meet their needs. This situation has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 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,” Peter G. McCornick, DWFI executive director, said.

With now a decade of experience, and together with its faculty fellows, supported students and partners, the institute has become a global leader in enhancing knowledge, fostering future leaders and developing effective techniques to sustainably manage water and increase food security.

DWFI was founded to leverage the expertise of Nebraska and the University of Nebraska and extend it with strong state, national and international partnerships. The 2021 Annual Report highlights research impacts from the institute and its partners to 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.

The report is now available online here.

Highlights include:

• With $5 million gift, the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and DWFI launched a program on water, climate and health;

• New agricultural water management tools used DWFI’s GloDET and SETMI products to create synergistic systems, supporting producers and helping achieve critical global food production goals;

• New agricultural water economics team advanced water policy;

• Nebraska nitrate working groups tackle persistent drinking water contamination;

• DWFI led smallholder sustainable irrigation entrepreneurship project in sub-Saharan Africa;

• Research on Nebraska’s intricate aquifer system.