Proceedings from the 2014 Water For Food Global Conference are now available for viewing.  This annual conference was hosted last October in Seattle, WA by the Water for Food Institute and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  The summary report provides a synopsis of the speakers and presentations relating to the theme: “Harnessing the Data Revolution: Ensuring Water and Food Security from Field to Global Scales.”

The Conference was the 6th of its kind and more than 250 farmers, scholars, practitioners and leaders attended to discuss the issues of using data to manage water on small and large farms around the world.  Discussions were held on how data is used by funding organizations to select and evaluate their programs, how those programs have led to the current practices in low-income countries, how the private sector is guided by data in their research and development decisions, how it measures the success of products, and how data can be used to benefit small-scale producers.  Also considered as part of the program was the use of climate data for decision-making, public health and the economic implications of water metering.

The Water for Food Institute was founded in 2010 as a response to the global problem of food security as it relates to water resources.  It is a part of the Robert B.Daugherty Institute at the University of Nebraska.