2025: Sorghum for Sustainability? Enabling Water Savings From Crop Switching in Kansas (EDF)
The research team will address water scarcity challenges in Kansas, a major agricultural region where farming contributes $57 billion annually and employs over 140,000 people. The project examines how farmers can switch from growing corn to sorghum, a crop that requires significantly less water, to help conserve this precious resource during increasingly severe droughts. Since corn typically generates higher profits than sorghum, the researcher is developing market incentives and financial support systems that would make crop switching economically viable for farmers. Working directly with farming communities and agricultural supply chain partners, the team aims to create practical solutions that will help Kansas maintain its agricultural productivity while adapting to climate change and water limitations. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate that water-efficient crops like sorghum can provide both environmental benefits and economic stability for rural communities facing mounting water stress.
Cornell: Chuan Liao (Cornell CALS / Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment / Global Development)
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): Alison Eagle (Senior Scientist, Climate-Smart Agriculture), Leah Beaulac (Senior Manager, Climate Resilient Water Systems)