On June 19, the Water for Food Institute had the opportunity to meet a diverse group of agriculture and food industry professionals from the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. Water for Food Institute Founding Executive Director Roberto Lenton introduced the group to the institute's research and programs to help ensure a more water and food secure world. Research and Outreach Coordinator Rachael Herpel gave them an overview of Nebraska water resources, referencing maps in the newly released policy report on Nebraska's Natural Resources Districts. Special thanks to IANR Global Engagement for organizing this wonderful event.

A new Drought Risk Management Research Center will soon be established at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "This will solidify a long-standing relationship between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Integrated Drought Information System and the National Drought Mitigation Center," said Michael J. Hayes, Water for Food Institute Faculty Fellow. "The emphasis on research will help us address critical needs related to drought monitoring, impact assessment and planning strategies. One of our goals will be to help states and other entities learn from each other based upon what they have experienced, such as what is happening across the West right now, and become more resilient to droughts in the future." Learn more.

Water for Food Institute Faculty Fellow Ozgur Araz (pictured) from the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Public Health will co-lead a one-year study with partners at Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey. The aim of the study is to better understand the factors associated with child obesity, along with parental perceptions and stigma ingrained in the Turkish culture. Learn more.

On June 22, the "Thirsty Land" documentary film crew visited Lincoln to interview experts at the University of Nebraska on issues related to the water crisis in the U.S., including Water for Food Institute Founding Executive Director Roberto Lenton and Faculty Fellows Mark Svoboda (pictured) and Don Wilhite. The following day they headed to western Nebraska, joining parts of the Nebraska Water Center's Water and Natural Resources Tour and visiting sites such as Valley Irrigation and the Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center.

The public has an opportunity to support the film production on its IndieGoGo crowdfunding page now through June 30. Show your support.

Check for filming updates on Facebook and Twitter.

Climatologist and Water for Food Institute Faculty Fellow Don Wilhite participated in and delivered the keynote presentation at the 6th Regional Capacity Building Workshop on National Drought Management Policies throughout the week of May 4 in Accra, Ghana. The workshop was focused on Central and West African countries. Previous workshops have been held in Eastern/Central Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Near East and North Africa. Learn more.

A new U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security explores relationships between water, food security and nutrition -- from household to global scales. The publication investigates these multiple linkages, in a context of competing demands, rising scarcities and climate change. It outlines ways to improve water management in agriculture and food systems, along with ways to improve water governance. Water for Food Institute Founding Executive Director Roberto Lenton served as a peer reviewer for the report, which was launched May 15 in Rome. Download the report.

World Water Week will take place Aug. 23-28 in Stockholm, Sweden. Organized annually by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the event brings together experts, practitioners, decision-makers, business innovators and young professionals from a range of sectors and countries to network, exchange ideas, foster new thinking and develop solutions to today's most pressing water-related challenges. Student interns from the Water for Food Institute will have a digital poster on display at this year's event showcasing videos about Nebraska's water resources. Learn more.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environment Protection Agency will co-sponsor a national workshop on water quality markets at Nebraska Innovation Campus Sept. 15-17. The event will be hosted by the Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska and coordinated by The Conservation Fund. The workshop will highlight recent progress in water quality trading across the country with an emphasis on policy, resources and tool development. The EPA and USDA will present their vision for the role of water quality markets in advancing conservation and water quality goals, and provide participants with the tools necessary to engage in water quality markets. The registration deadline is Aug. 14. Learn more.

Narendra Patel is a doctoral student from India working with Nebraska Water Center Director Chittaranjan Ray through June 30. He is pursuing a PhD in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He completed his master's in civil engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India.

Narendra's research is focused on studying flow and sediment transport in open channels. At the Water for Food Institute, he prepared a project report for the Department of Transportation in Hawaii and is working on several articles dealing with food security and bottlenecks in food production around the world.