In Indiana, Purdue University researchers are working to create software to simplify the complex relationships between agriculture and resource scarcity. With a focus on water, the software will be on a desktop or mobile device for in-field use and will make it easier for farmers to make decisions that foster long term solutions to problems of water scarcity in agriculture.
When it comes to optimizing resources in agriculture, 80 percent of California’s water usage goes to agriculture, and just a 0.6 percent reduction of this agricultural usage would supply Los Angeles’ water needs for a year.
“We’re trying to help growers get usable information to improve their practices for both economic and ecological sustainability,” said Purdue University electrical and computer engineering professor David Ebert. “We’re trying to take a sea of data and turn it into decisions that people have to make so they can make better, more effective decisions.”