Location: Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems Research
Project Number: 2032-12610-002-026-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2023
End Date: Sep 30, 2027
Objective:
This project will raise the level of awareness of climate change mitigation strategies, challenges, and solutions in the NRCS workforce and with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) partners. It will provide decision support tools and information relevant to the farm, ranch, and forest level that encourage the use of NRCS conservation programs and the implementation of practices to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase carbon sequestration. Additionally, this project will develop pathways to connect innovative research and new knowledge to the NRCS workforce and improve the decision support mechanisms leading to increased climate change mitigation actions in agriculture and forestry.
Approach:
Build relationships with NRCS leadership, including State Conservationists and NRCS state office points of contact to develop a regional framework to host conversations with farmers about regenerative conservation practices. Provide information to increase NRCS staff literacy on regenerative agriculture, with an emphasis on soil health, water conservation, and long-term agricultural production. Identify barriers to practice adoption, knowledge gaps, and conservation practice prioritization at state, and regional scales. Share findings with NRCS leadership and broadly through the USDA ARS Plains Area stakeholder network. Provide stakeholders with decision-support information and tools that increase understanding and adoption of regenerative conservation practices. Co-produce technical guide material for NRCS field staff and partners, relevant at local and state levels, and focused on regenerative conservation practices Assist NRCS planners and partners in understanding the underlying science of common regenerative conservation practices, their potential to provide other environmental or economic co-benefits, and appropriate context to maximize potential for implementation. Conduct regional syntheses on available science on the applicability, benefits, and risks of soil health, water conservation, and sustainable production practices. Identify research needs and ongoing research to address major uncertainties and gaps in knowledge on key existing or emerging regenerative agriculture practices.