Sustainable Agriculture Research and Technology for Solution to the Future of Food and How to Feed 9 Billion by 2050 at UC Davis Smart Farm

Smart Farm

The Smart Farm Big Idea seeks to develop smarter farming and food system solutions to meet the pressing challenges facing agriculture to ensure that people in California and throughout the world have access to safe, healthy and nutritious food.

Amid the grand challenges facing society today, food ranks high—specifically, how to ensure the sustainable, efficient and equitable production, processing, storage and distribution of food. This year demonstrated what can happen when events such as pandemics and wildfires cause massive impacts to agricultural food systems and ultimately to the communities that rely on access to safe, healthy and nutritious food. 

The College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences is committed to supporting California to ensure that our agricultural industries and food systems are resilient and competitive for generations to come. The Smart Farm Big Idea will produce cutting-edge research and develop high-tech solutions to meet the needs of California agriculture and the people who rely on its products.

In collaboration with industry, community and philanthropic partners, Smart Farm seeks to capitalize on UC Davis strengths starting from soil health and seeds, through plant and animal sciences, to food processing and human health with the goal of advancing solutions that will have an immediate impact on people’s lives.

How you can get involved

UC Davis is looking to partner with donors, corporations and foundations to accomplish the following:
  • Attract the best and brightest researchers and scientists by endowing faculty positions and cooperative extension specialists to conduct solution-driven research.
  • Support the development of a new major in Agricultural and Environmental Technology for undergraduate students to combine traditional agricultural and environmental studies within a technology focused curriculum to prepare them for careers of tomorrow.
  • Enhance and build state-of-the art facilities to advance critical research in key priority areas to ensure the future of sustainable agricultural and food systems.
  • Provide seed funding for high-risk, high-reward research to support faculty in the development of new tools, technologies and solutions to meet pressing challenges.

Smart Farm programmatic themes

The College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences encompasses 14 departments across three divisions including agricultural, environmental and human sciences. The following interrelated themes draw upon the interdisciplinary excellence the college is known for and comprise our approach to developing smarter farming and food system solutions.

UC Davis is committed to supporting a sustainable, innovative and equitable food system that supports a healthy California. We invite the philanthropic partnership of our alumni and friends in achieving this vision.

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