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INVESTIGATOR: Lopez, R.; Pomeroy, R. S.; Shah, F. A.; Segerson, K.; Gebremichael, M.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
UNIV OF CONNECTICUT
STORRS, CONNECTICUT 06269

USDA NATIONAL NEEDS FELLOWSHIPS FOR M.S. IN RESOURCE ECONOMICS WITH A FOCUS ON INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND POLICY

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Agriculture is the biggest water user sector, accounting for 70% of water withdrawal worldwide. Thus, the increasing imbalance between rapidly growing demand for water in all world regions and available water resources threatens the viability of the sector. Between 1960 and 1995, water use increased 90%, paralleling population growth and it is expected to increase 37% between 1995 and 2025 (Shiklomanov, 2000). By the same token, water quality continues to deteriorate, threatening the entire watershed from land to sea. Effective watershed management and policy become essential under water scarcity and declining quality conditions. Maintaining enough water for agriculture of reasonable quality will be increasingly difficult due to climate change, competition for water with industries and urban users; and the need to produce biofuels. Improving water governance through integrated water resources and watershed management is widely recognized as a critical need world-wide. It will be important to assess how water can best be governed in specific basin contexts to address this challenge. This project seeks to train five M.S. USDA Fellows in the National Targeted Expertise Shortage Area (TESA) of Agricultural Management and Economics, specifically Resource Economics, through a a comprehensive, interdisciplinary M.S. program with strong resource economics and natural science training, (2) internships that provide experiential learning and career connections in leading domestic and international organizations dealing with watershed management (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency, Seagrant, International Water Management Institute, WorldFish), and (3) a highly diverse and multicultural environment. The proposed Fellows program builds upon the existing graduate program in environmental and resource economics (ranked 15th worldwide) and collaboration with Civil and Environmental Engineering. The program includes assessments and follow-ups, and takes advantage of UConn's strategic location for recruitment and placement. The project will have significant impacts by: (1) adding five outstanding resource economists to critical niches in academia, industry and/or government-economists able to provide a balanced trans-disciplinary perspective on emerging watershed management problems, (2) generating the Fellow's own research publications and presentations at professional meetings, (3) spurring programmatic developments and additional extramural grant activity in resource economics/water management, and (4) dissemination of project outcomes to peers and the public at large.

OBJECTIVES: This project proposes training five M.S. USDA Fellows in the National Targeted Expertise Shortage Area (TESA) of Agricultural Management and Economics (specifically, Resource Economics), under the discipline/program of Agricultural Economics and Management (code M). Four IRTAs are also sought. In the face of increasing water scarcity, one of the most pressing needs for food production is improving water governance through integrated watershed management. The USDA Fellows who join the University of Connecticut to become resource economists with a watershed management specialization will have several unique opportunities to develop professionally including (1) a comprehensive, interdisciplinary M.S. program with strong resource economics and natural science training, (2) internships that provide experiential learning and career connections in leading domestic and international organizations dealing with watershed management (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency, Seagrant, International Water Management Institute, WorldFish), and (3) a highly diverse and multicultural environment. The proposed Fellows program builds upon the existing graduate program in environmental and resource economics (ranked 15th worldwide) and collaboration with Civil and Environmental Engineering. The program includes assessments and follow-ups, and takes advantage of UConn's strategic location for recruitment and placement. The project will have significant impacts by: (1) adding five outstanding resource economists to critical niches in academia, industry and/or government, economists able to provide a balanced trans-disciplinary perspective on emerging watershed management problems, (2) generating the Fellow's own research publications and presentations at professional meetings, (3) spurring programmatic developments and additional extramural grant activity in resource economics/water management, and (4) dissemination of project outcomes to peers and the public at large.