CropClimate, a state-of-the-art platform that uses cutting edge technology in climate-, soil- and crop-modeling is able to link the effects of environmental conditions, weather and crop yield history and field management to develop more resilient crop production systems.

The platform has the ability to transform trillions of model realizations into a simple website platform that will help farmers reduce risk and optimize production while using water and other resources more efficiently.

The Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska will host a seminar on CropClimate from 4 to 5 p.m. Jan. 15 in rooms A1-A2 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center (2021 Transformation Dr.). The seminar is free and open to the public, including media. CropClimate was developed by Guillermo Baigorria, assistant professor in the UNL School of Natural Resources and Department of Agronomy & Horticulture and a Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute Faculty Fellow. Baigorria will give an overview of the tool’s capabilities and benefits, along with a demonstration on how to use it. The event will be live-streamed and archived on the institute’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/WaterForFood.

Baigorria has been working toward the launch of the data-intensive project, which requires 180 computer processors to run, for the past several months. He said he is confident the tool will help take some of the guesswork out of agricultural decision-making.

“Many growers make pre-planting decisions based on instinct, such as when to plant, how much land is assigned to a given crop, which cultivar to use or the insurance they buy,” said Baigorria. “CropClimate’s user-friendly format and extensive climate information can empower farmers, lenders, policymakers, seed and agrochemical companies, insurance companies and other stakeholders to make more informed decisions.”

Friday, Jan. 15, 4 p.m.
Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center
2021 Transformation Drive, Rooms A1-A2
Lincoln, Neb., USA