Integration of NASA Models and Missions into Agricultural Decision Support

Collaborators: G. Baigorria, C. Fraisse, J.W. Jones

Institutions: University of Florida

Funding Agency: NASA

Start: October 2009 End: September 2012

Status: Funded

Filed Under: Agriculture, Climate Sciences, Extension, Human Dimensions

Abstract: The overall objective of this project is to adapt and apply state of the art climate modeling and remote sensing tools developed by NASA to enable partnering agencies to anticipate the effects of climate variability and change, including droughts and floods, on agricultural crop yields, and thereby to improve the management of risk in the context of agricultural productivity and sustainability.

To ensure the success of this overall objective, the following three specific objectives are defined:

To expand the usage of climate model and mission product information about major climate variability systems (ENSO and the Arctic Oscillation [AO]) at both short-term (seasonal) and long-term (multi-decadal timescales) in DSSAT.
To incorporate an end-to-end probabilistic approach beginning with changes in mean climate variables important to crop growth (such as surface air temperature and precipitation) and extending to yield projections and profit information from DSSAT.
To integrate the impacts of projected changes in extreme climate events, as simulated by regional climate models driven by global climate models and validated by mission products into DSSAT in order to provide more complete and precise yield information and management options.

The Florida Climate Institute (FCI) is a multi-disciplinary network of national and international research and public organizations, scientists, and individuals concerned with achieving a better understanding of climate variability and change.