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FFAR awards $1 million to increase yields, combat water scarcity

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) has awarded a $1 million grant to Kansas State University to increase water efficient crop yields.

The grant, which is part of the seeding solutions program, was matched by Kansas State University, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, Corteva Agriscience, Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program, and the University of California.

LaKisha Odom, scientific program director with FFAR, says the grant will extend a genome-to-phenome (G2P) breeding approach.

“That particular approach uses modeling of crops and then tries to predict specific genomic traits and then also looks at how to manage water stress because there’s quite a bit of challenge in climate variability,” she says.

She tells Brownfield the grant could increase yields of crops that grow using less water and improve farmers’ profitability.

“Our objective is to have thriving farms, which to us also means farmer productivity and profitability so if there’s any way we can reduce costs and make the crops as efficient as possible then that means crops are putting in less inputs but getting as much or more output,” she says.

FFAR’s Seeding Solutions Grants are open for applicants to submit innovative research proposals that further soil health, sustainable water management, next generation crops, advanced animal systems, urban food systems, or health and agriculture.

Odom says it’s an opportunity for anyone to dream big and introduce an exciting or new idea that will benefit the industry.

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Audio: LaKisha Odom