The interdependence of food, energy and water systems for social and economic development poses challenges, particularly under conditions of varying abundance or scarcity of water.
A group of researchers from around the world will gather at MSU next month to discuss the issues surrounding these challenges. The conference, “Food, Energy, Water and Abundance: Cross-Border Governance and the Great Waters of the World,” is slated for Nov. 9-11 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. It is supported by the National Science Foundation.
The first day of the conference is open to the MSU community and the public, and registration is free, preregistration is required. The following days are workshops with focused discussions among scientists around regional governance.
The agenda for the first day of the conference includes a luncheon and keynote address by Lorraine Punkin Shananaquet of the Gun Lake Tribe of the Pottawatomi, who will talk about indigenous people’s perspectives. The agenda also includes discussions about regional governance of the food-energy-water nexus in each of three watersheds: North America’s great lakes, the Amazon River in South America and East Africa’s great lakes.
Each session will include a technical and biophysical science overview of issues in each watershed, along with a policy and social science overview.
Organizers expect researchers from 25 to 30 nations worldwide, including:
- Michael Wiley, professor, University of Michigan.
- Lana Pollack, chairperson, U.S. Division, International Joint Commission.
- Jorge Celi, specialist on aquatic ecosystems of the Amazon Basin in Peru.
- Mathew Terry, Fundacion Rio Napo in Ecuador.
- Alfred N. N. Muzuka, professor, Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, Tanzania.
- Samuel O. Ochola, professor, Kenyatta University, Kenya.
To register for the conference, visit http://tinyurl.com/greatwaters. For more information, contact Robert Richardson, MSU Department of Community Sustainability, at rbr@msu.edu.