“We have a unique natural laboratory to study surface water and groundwater management,” Perlman said. Elevation, precipitation and soil type differences from east to west will allow Nebraska to replicate environmental conditions seen in many places in the world with food shortages.

The university already has faculty and partners working on critical water management issues such as drought-resistant crop hybrids and no-till farming methods.

Perlman said the goal of WFI is to find water efficiencies to fit the developed and developing world, large commercial enterprises and the smallest farms, and irrigated and rain-watered crops.

Visiting scholars will come from around the world to use Nebraska as a laboratory. He wants Lincoln and the University of Nebraska be known as a major source of talent and information about managing the world’s water supplies.

“We don’t think we can do this alone,” he added, so there will be public and private partners.

Ties already have been made in China, Brazil and India, which will be host of a major conference next spring. Perlman said that with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other foundations, work will be done in Zambia or South Africa that can help the world’s smallest farms grow more food.