Feeding the Growing World Population
To prosper in the face of climate change and international competition—for labor, markets, land and water—agricultural producers must become more nimble, integrative and sustainable in their approaches to crop management. At the same time, we must develop new crops with natural resistance to pests and pathogens and with the ability to thrive in future climates. The next great leap in crop productivity and development will come from a deeper understanding of plants’ genetic and physiological traits as well as the complex manner in which crops interact with their environment.
Advances in Crop Technology and Development
Smart Farm will improve crop productivity and accelerate new crop development by combining advances in traditional and controlled-environment agriculture with transformational technologies like high-throughput phenotyping, smart machines, artificial intelligence and more. Establishing the Plant Science Center will create a hub for developing mobile, easily deployed sensors that will help predict traits, generate data for traits and crop responses that are difficult to measure, and provide better understanding of water and nutrient use.
As home to the most diverse and productive agriculture in the U.S., as well as the world’s leading IT and equipment industries, California is an ideal testbed for innovations at the leading edge of crop science. Smart Farm will leverage the breadth and depth of expertise at UC Davis and across the state to use limited resources efficiently and optimize decision-making.
Fund the Future of Agricultural Innovation
- Build the Plant Science Center to enable high-impact plant research, high-throughput phenotyping, cultivar and technology development
- Fund research and training programs that will develop the next generation of agricultural innovators
- Endow faculty positions in applied plant biology, computational plant biology, plant sensing and agricultural systems, controlled environment engineering, and precision crop management
UC Davis is committed to improving crop productivity and resilience to feed a growing world. We invite the philanthropic partnership of our alumni and friends in ensuring food security for all.