DATABASE INTEGRATION WORKSHOP: BUILDING THE DATA CAPACITY FOR FOOD-ENERGY-WATER RESEARCH

Energy and water are two critical sources for food production; developing sustainable agricultural systems requires a wise management and balance among food, energy, and water systems (FEW). Better understandings of the interaction among food, water, energy systems and the social, economic, and environmental impacts of FEW nexus will greatly enhance system-wide decision-making, improving the sustainability of food supply chain as well as water and energy systems.Advancing the knowledge of interactions within FEW systems and identifying critical challenges that could be addressed by the simultaneous management of three systems requires massive datasets related to the supply chain of food, water, and energy. Intensive efforts have been made by the research community, government agencies, and the industry to generate data to meet the needs of various stakeholders, but such data is highly scattered and has not been integrated for the potential application of big data analysis that could bring new insights and advance knowledge. We believe many solutions to addressing complex sustainability issues in U.S. food supply chains, especially those related to water and energy use, could be generated through the integration of different datasets.To better understand the frontier of existing data, the future needs of data, as well as the barriers to building data capacity for improving system sustainability of food supply chains in a context of FEW, we propose to host a 1.5-day workshop to gather experts to discuss, brainstorm, and identify critical issues and future directions of big data investment for addressing FEW challenges. The topic is highly aligned with multiple AFRI program area priorities, such as bioenergy, natural resources, and environment, agriculture economics and rural communities, critical agricultural research and extension, and agriculture systems and technology.After the workshop, we will deliver a report that highlights the major findings and conclusions from the workshop, and submit it to USDA and disseminate to the public through Dr. Yao's research website and a peer-reviewed publication. The insights and ideas generated during the workshop will shed light on directions of future efforts and investment in big data.North Carolina State University (NCSU) is a perfect location to host the proposed workshop. NCSU has close connections with governmental research offices in the Research Triangle Park area, such as USDA and EPA. We will host the workshop at the Talley Student Union on the NCSU main campus. At 283,000 square feet, Talley is one of NC State's largest, busiest and most sustainably-designed buildings. There is a management team in Talley to help the university and faculty organize meetings, host events, and provide technical support. The conference rooms in Talley are equipped with assistive technologies, such as screen readers, special switches, and communication boards.