Track-1- Food-Energy-Water Nexus in the Deep South: A Latent System Primed for Transition From Rain-fed to Irrigation-fed Agriculture

包括阿拉巴马州、密西西比州、路易斯安那州和佐治亚州在内的南方腹地各州继续经历着美国贫困率最高的州之一。由于农业在这些州的经济中扮演着重要的角色，它们经济复苏的一个潜在选择是通过大幅提高农业生产率。本项目根据从雨水灌溉农业向灌溉灌溉农业(RFtoIF)过渡的情景考虑这样一种选择。该项目在莫比尔河流域进行，包括阿拉巴马州、佐治亚州和密西西比州的部分地区。鉴于粮食、能源和水(少数)系统在流域内错综复杂地联系在一起，本研究将评估农业转型对这三个资源系统的分配和相互作用的影响。通过与阿拉巴马州的利益攸关方建立关系和合作，该项目为调查人员和相关利益攸关方提供了一个机会，以便于查明推动南方腹地地区从RFIF过渡到RFIF所需的障碍和激励措施，并讨论调查结果的重要性，找出改善其影响的方法，并做出明智的决策。该项目的总体目标是对从雨水灌溉农业过渡到灌溉灌溉农业的可行性以及由此对南方腹地地区粮食-水-能源关系的潜在影响进行精细评估。在这方面，该项目将研究以下几个系统的关联：(A)一切照常的情景，以确定基准；(B)描述从雨水灌溉农业向灌溉灌溉农业过渡的不同强度的情景。RFtoIF强度被考虑为预期的铜区转变的范围。通过与阿拉巴马州的利益攸关方建立关系和合作，该项目将为调查人员和相关利益攸关方提供机会，进一步讨论调查结果的重要性，并确定改善影响的方法。该项目创建了在水资源丰富的环境中实现农业转型的基本知识体系。具体来说，该项目回答了三个问题：1)如果实施RFtoIF，作物生产力和收入将有什么潜在的增加，能否优化灌溉计划以将相关成本降至最低？2)RFtoIF过渡对供水水库、发电厂和河流航运的运营有何影响？3)气候、社会和经济因素如何影响农民对RFTIF转型的接受程度？该项目的调查结果将更好地定量描述少数几个系统之间的联系和综合费用的评估，从而促进资源管理人员在RFIF过渡方案下的协调分摊。此外，它还有助于确定在南方腹地推动从RFIF过渡到RFIF所需的障碍和激励措施，从而能够做出明智的决策。该项目由INFEWS和已建立的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)共同资助，并由地球科学总监管理。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Deep South states, including Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia, continue to experience one of the highest poverty rates in the nation. As agriculture plays a significant role in the economies of these states, one potential option for their economic resurgence is through a drastic increase in agricultural productivity. This project considers such an option based on a scenario of a transition from rain-fed to irrigation-fed (RFtoIF) agriculture. The project is conducted in the Mobile River Basin encompassing portions of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. Given that food, energy and water (FEW) systems are intricately linked within the basin, the study will evaluate the impacts of RFtoIF agriculture transition on the distribution-of and interactions-between these three resource systems. Through established relationships and collaboration with the stakeholders in Alabama, the project provides an opportunity for the investigators and relevant stakeholders to facilitate identification of the barriers and incentives needed to spur RFtoIF transition in the Deep South, as well as to discuss the significance of findings, identify ways for improving their impacts, and enabling informed decision making. The overarching goal of this project is to develop a refined assessment of the feasibility of transition from rain-fed to irrigation-fed agriculture and the potential ensuing impacts on food-water-energy nexus in regions of the Deep South. In this regard, the project will study FEW systems nexuses for: (a) a business-as-usual scenario, in order to set a baseline; and (b) scenarios depicting varied intensities of transition from rain-fed to irrigation-fed agriculture. RFtoIF intensities are considered for a range of anticipated copped area transition. Through established relationships and collaboration with the stakeholders in Alabama, the project will provide an opportunity for the investigators and relevant stakeholders to further discuss the significance of findings and identify ways for improving the impacts. The project creates a fundamental body of knowledge on RFtoIF agriculture transition in a water-plenty environment. Specifically, the project answers three questions: 1) What will be the potential increase in crop productivity and revenue if RFtoIF is implemented, and can the irrigation schedule be optimized to minimize associated costs? 2) How does RFtoIF transition affect the operations of water-supply reservoirs, power plants, and riverine navigation? and 3) How do climatological, sociological and economic factors influence farmer's receptiveness to RFtoIF transition? Findings from this project will delineate a better quantitative picture of the FEW systems nexus and assessment of integrated costs, thus facilitating harmonious apportioning by resource managers under a RFtoIF transition scenario. Furthermore, it facilitates identification of the barriers and incentives needed to spur RFtoIF transition in the Deep South, thus enabling informed decision making. This project is jointly funded by INFEWS and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR); and managed by the GEOSCIENCES Directorate.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.