IIC begins call for 2022 research proposals

The Irrigation Innovation Consortium, Fort Collins, Colorado, has opened its competitive request for IIC research project proposals. Private and public partners interested in working collaboratively to drive advances in irrigation tools, technologies, systems and management are encouraged to apply through the IIC website.

Proposed research projects must correspond to one or more of the IIC’s priority research themes for this year, which include

• evaluating and improving technologies and recommendations.
• improving integration of tools and strategies.
• developing data synthesis to inform decision-making.
• clarifying water use benchmarks, targets and protocols.
• quantifying potential benefits (biophysical, practical, economic) of advanced irrigation management.

IIC has $500,000 available to support research with this call, including support from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, Washington, D.C. Project teams must provide nonfederal match, which boosts investment to more than $1 million on new research collaborations.

Project teams must involve at least one irrigation sector partner and research or extension staff from one or more IIC member universities, which include Colorado State, Kansas State, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Fresno State and Texas A&M. Teams can also have partners from other private and public institutions, including nonprofits.

This is IIC’s fourth competitive call for proposals since its launch in 2018. Interested applicants can visit the IIC website to explore the kinds of projects funded to date.

“IIC is excited to support another round of research projects,” says Timothy Martin, PhD, IIC’s executive director. “This work will help address critical water management issues that will benefit the irrigation industry, irrigators and water managers.”

The IIC anticipates funding 3-5 projects with this RFP. Pre-proposals are due March 11, 2022.

For full details and to download the IIC 2022 RFP, visit: irrigationinnovation.org/proposals/2022rfp.