The 2050 Food Crisis
Reducing Food and Water Insecurity to Feed the World
- With the world population expected to grow to 9 billion in 2050, food production must increase by 70%
- Unpredictable weather patterns, water insecurity, and increasing temperatures can have a significant impact on livestock and crop production
- Ranked 5th among the 50 U.S. states, Nebraska agriculture is valuable to growing the nation’s economy and feeding the world population
in the US lived in food insecure households in 2015, including 29.1 million adults and 13.1 million children.5
Water’s Impact on Agriculture
Educating Students about Water Conservation & Soil Health
Water is an essential component to every part of Northeast’s agriculture curriculum including optimizing usage, water regulations, water management, water law, runoff and water quality, and climate changes.
- Water plays a significant role in food and livestock production
- Agriculture accounts for about 70% of global water withdrawals
- Nebraska’s most vital natural resource is its massive supply of groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer
- Campus has 4 center pivot irrigation systems
- Conducts applied research with variable rate irrigation and soil moisture probes to conserve water and learn about the latest technology
Continuing Nebraska’s Agricultural Heritage
Northeast Community College educates students about agriculture science and innovation to develop expertise and skills to meet the needs of Nebraska’s growing communities, businesses, and industries.
At Northeast:
- 82% of graduates go back to their family farm or into the agriculture workforce, while 18% transfer and continue their education
- Northeast provides extensive hands-on experiences on its contiguous 500+ acre farm & feed lot
- Enrollment and programs in agriculture continue to expand. What began with 3 students and 1 program in 1973 has grown to about 350 students a year and 12 programs in 2019-2020