USAID funds research on climate resilience of crops and improves the use of precision technology

News

USAID funds research on climate resilience of crops and improves the use of precision technology

The U.S. Agency for International Development is funding research to study climate resilience of crops and improved use of precision technology.

Vara Prasad, an agriculture professor at Kansas State University, tells Brownfield…

“We first want to understand how these high temperature events and drought events affect crop productivity. Once we understand this, we will study the available germplasm.”

Researchers will use traditional breeding programs to develop new varieties.

According to Prasad, K-State will also work with farmers in eight countries to form a digital and choice agriculture consortium.

“By using these digital technologies and precision tooling technologies, we can ensure that we are not effectively wasting any of our inputs. Leveraging the inputs is one of the ways we can improve or increase profitability,” he says.

Partner countries include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Senegal and Tanzania.

USAID’s Feed the Future program will provide funding of up to $50 million over the next five years.