The five-day 2025 Water for Food Global Conference happens April 28 to May 2 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln. The conference will provide breakout sessions, expert speakers and tours within the state focused on the academia, policies and innovations surrounding water and food security. 

The event is hosted every two years by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska. Founded in 2010, the system-wide institute concentrates research and education efforts across the University of Nebraska for water sustainability, especially in agriculture and food systems.

DWFI Director of Communications and Public Relations Frances Hayes said she expects more than 300 attendees from around the world at the event. She said networking opportunities at the conference have the potential to spur collaboration on future projects due to its size relative to larger international conferences.

Hayes said the Water for Food Global Conference is an opportunity to showcase the efforts and advancements being made in Nebraska. This includes research, like the work underway at the UNL Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center and Nebraska Water Center, as well as entrepreneurs, such as AgTech startups incubating in The Combine. 

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“We love to show them what Nebraska has to offer,” said Hayes. 

Targeting a range of policy makers, international groups, academics and private industry partners, Hayes said the conference will include topics of interest in commercial agriculture, smallholder agriculture and both human and environmental health. 

“This year, there’s just so much uncertainty…in general,” said Hayes. “I think it’s a good time for everyone to come together and brainstorm, ‘Where do we go next?’”

Registration for in-person attendance is due April 4. This includes registering for optional in-person events like the Nebraska Agricultural Innovation Tour and Nebraska Agriculture Water Management Tour, both all-day bus rides to sites of interest to give attendees the chance to talk to growers and researchers directly. 

Virtual attendance registration is available until the conference begins. Students and those associated with the University of Nebraska have opportunities for discounts. You can learn more about the 2025 Water for Food Global Conference and its full agenda on DWFI’s website.