PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (February 24, 2023) — Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) has been selected to host the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small-Scale Irrigation, an interdisciplinary research conference on water, environment, energy, and agriculture in a changing climate. The University will collaborate with the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI) and is supported by the USAID-sponsored Innovation Lab through a $140,000 sub-award agreement with Texas A&M University (TAMU).
The conference will bring together early-career scientists and graduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to engage with emerging topics and methods on issues related to the sustainable use of water for food production.
“I’m delighted to let this effort that will provide opportunities for limited resources and minority students and junior faculty to feature their work on critical topics challenging the world: water, energy, and food security under a changing climate!” said Ali Fares, Ph.D. Dr. Fares is an Endowed Professor of Water Security & Water-Energy-Food Nexus at the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences at PVAMU, who led the initiative to bring this conference to campus. Dr. Fares is being supported by several of his colleagues: Ripendra Awal, Ph.D., associate professor, Laura Carson, Ph.D., Director, Research Compliance & Undergraduate Research, Aruna Weerasooriya, Ph.D., professor, Cooperative Agriculture Research Center, Ram,
Ali Fares, Ph.D., Endowed Professor of Water Security, College of Agriculture and Human Sciences
Ray, Ph.D., associate professor, Cooperative Agriculture Research Center, Atikur Rahman, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher, and Anoop Veetil, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher.
“We’re thrilled to host this platform for students, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and early-career scientists to network with global research leaders in international agricultural development,” said PVAMU Vice President of Research & Innovation Magesh Rajan, Ph.D., P.E., MBA. “The conference will highlight issues in research on climate, water/environment, energy, and agriculture while creating opportunities for future research initiatives.”
The impact of this project on PVAMU cannot be overemphasized, as it provides a platform for the university to showcase its research capabilities and strengthen its international research collaborations. The university has always been at the forefront of research on sustainable agriculture and natural resource management. This conference will enable the university to consolidate its position as a leader in research on climate, water, environment, and agriculture.
In addition, this conference will open up opportunities for students and young scientists to pursue opportunities in these fields in the international research setting and other underserved areas. This is particularly important because marginalized and minoritized people globally are most likely to be negatively affected by climate change, live in areas with the highest exposure to environmental disasters, and experience related health risks. HBCUs and MSIs have been underrepresented in these fields, particularly within international agricultural development research. Yet, these institutions are well-positioned to respond to national and global knowledge needs on improved approaches to managing natural resources and agricultural development toward adaptation to climate change and strengthened resilience.
The impact of this project on future research efforts cannot be overemphasized, as it will act as a kick-starter for regular conferences on these topics in the International Agriculture Development (IAD) context in future years. This is particularly important because the sustainable use of water for food production is critical to improving livelihoods in developing areas and countries. It is, therefore, imperative to encourage more research on this topic and to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration among researchers in this field.
In conclusion, the collaboration between PVAMU and the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI) on an interdisciplinary research conference on water, environment, energy, and agriculture in a changing climate is a significant development that will impact the university, future research efforts, and the wider society positively. This collaboration will lead to more research on sustainable agriculture and natural resource management in underserved areas, ultimately contributing to improving livelihoods and strengthening resilience in these areas.
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By Jenna Craig