CLIMATE CHANGE RESLILIENCY THROUGH AG-FOOD-TECH
The University of California, Merced is in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, one of the most agriculturally productive regions in the world and a testbed for innovation. We partner with industry leaders, growers, and natural resources managers as well as the UCANR Agricultural Research and Extension Center to develop the next generation of agricultural leaders, to establish employment-education experiences and preparation, and to invent the next technological solution to agricultural, food and natural resource issues in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond.
Secure Water Future (SWF)
Secure Water Future is a collaborative of investigators from across the semi-arid western US aiming to improve agricultural and environmental water resilience through innovations in measurement, management, and markets. Funded by the USDA and lead by UC Merced, the team combines the expertise of researchers, extension specialists, and educators working across California, New Mexico, and Utah.
The AI Institute for Transforming Workforce & Decision Support (AgAID)
AgAID’s mission is to build and foster partnerships between AI and Ag communities and create a transdisciplinary ecosystem for technology innovation and knowledge transfer. Its research focuses on water allocation, farm operations intelligence, the human-machine interface, AI modeling, and multi-scale decision support. UC Merced participates as a core member of AgAID further developing the intersection of technology and agriculture.
Labor and Automation in California Agriculture (LACA)
Funded in 2021 by the University of California Office of the President Multi-Campus Research Program Initiative, Labor and Automation in California Agriculture (LACA) assembles interdisciplinary researchers to solve food system resilience and human- centered agriculture technology to transform the workforce and environment of the future. This MRPI includes researchers from University of California Merced, Berkeley, Davis, and Riverside.
UC Merced Experimental Smart Farm
Established in 2022, the Farm at UC Merced is a 40-acre research facility dedicated to advancing agricultural innovation, sustainability, and education. As an Agricultural Experimental Station (AES), UC Merced leads research in automation, climate resilience, and workforce development. The Experimental Smart Farm envision sa future where technology, sustainability, and community collaboration converge. From automation to environmental monitoring, the Farm is a beacon of transformative research, where tech is tested and developed for decision-making and resource management.
Farms Food Future (F3)
F3 at UC Merced is the result of a partnership between the Central Valley Community Foundation, agricultural industry leaders, and the university’s researchers. This collaboration was formed to harness UC Merced’s research strengths and the Central Valley’s agricultural expertise to innovate sustainable farming practices, aiming to uplift the local economy and set a precedent for global food production.