Football vs. Michigan State

Rodney Bennett Author

11/06/2023 Added

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Chancellor Rodney Bennett talks about UNL's work as part of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute and a new $19 million federal grant to develop a global network to strengthen food and water security research.

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[00:00:00.420]We're back here in Countdown the Kickoff today.
[00:00:02.040]The Huskers taking on the Michigan State Spartans.
[00:00:04.290]And, as we do every week, a chance to sit down
[00:00:05.880]with a chancellor from the University of Nebraska Lincoln,
[00:00:07.950]Dr. Ronnie Bennett, always great to catch up with you.
[00:00:10.710]I hope you've had a good week.
[00:00:11.730]Had a great week, Greg.
[00:00:13.047]And, especially coming after a homecoming.
[00:00:16.088]The weather's been a little bit warmer
[00:00:18.488]the week after homecoming week, and so that's been nice.
[00:00:23.100]But, I hear that there's still bad weather to come,
[00:00:25.980]so we haven't gotten through January and February just yet.
[00:00:28.189]We're not to spring, we're not gonna skip right to Spring.
[00:00:30.552]Gotta do that.
[00:00:31.768]A lot of Husker fans, Chancellor,
[00:00:34.230]know that one of the strengths of the university
[00:00:36.600]is in research, and the use of water to produce food.
[00:00:40.350]That's not only true here for the state, but for the world.
[00:00:42.780]All the research that we do here, isn't it?
[00:00:44.370]That's correct.
[00:00:45.960]One of the things I know that, you know,
[00:00:47.460]and I'm sure your, the listeners know,
[00:00:49.200]is that the university is a state and global leader
[00:00:54.180]in research, and we really pride ourselves
[00:00:56.605]on creating a resilient future in food,
[00:01:00.706]and fresh water security.
[00:01:04.710]And, you may not, may be hard to believe,
[00:01:08.189]but part of this is researching and implementing ways
[00:01:11.880]to reduce the need for water in food production, altogether.
[00:01:17.640]I know that sounds pretty radical,
[00:01:19.500]and hard to, kind of, get your head around,
[00:01:21.150]but there's so many parts of the world,
[00:01:23.460]for which moisture and rain and water is just not available.
[00:01:28.020]So, a lot of our research is, sort of,
[00:01:29.880]centered on how can we produce food and a food supply
[00:01:34.290]that's not so reliant upon water.
[00:01:38.399]The university has been a long time leader in this area.
[00:01:43.080]We've been working and meeting, trying to produce yield
[00:01:49.110]and profitability, and resilience,
[00:01:51.300]and collaborating with small farmers all around the world.
[00:01:55.350]So, we're just really proud of our efforts in this regard,
[00:01:58.320]and know that the future looks really bright.
[00:02:00.090]Very good.
[00:02:00.930]What is the latest news in this area
[00:02:02.970]of global research leadership?
[00:02:04.357]Yeah. I think the thing that I would focus on today,
[00:02:07.709]really has to do with the Daughtery Water
[00:02:10.107]and Food Global Institute, and the work that is done there.
[00:02:15.180]You may or may not know, but the institute recently received
[00:02:18.540]a federal research grant in the amount of $19 million.
[00:02:24.990]Wow.
[00:02:25.971]What we hope to do with that is to coordinate
[00:02:28.133]a global network of organizations
[00:02:31.860]to achieve sustainable irrigation,
[00:02:35.400]especially as it relates to small farmers
[00:02:38.850]in developing countries, which is a goal,
[00:02:43.650]a critical goal in terms of meeting the needs
[00:02:46.560]of the world's growing food demand.
[00:02:49.133]We're playing another school
[00:02:50.400]that's a land grant institution.
[00:02:52.020]I know that's what one of the reasons that attracted you
[00:02:54.120]to Nebraska.
[00:02:54.953]Why is Nebraska so well positioned to be a leader
[00:02:57.960]in this area?
[00:02:59.370]I really think it has to do with,
[00:03:01.131]obviously the history of the University of Nebraska,
[00:03:06.270]and the state,
[00:03:07.530]being designated as the land grant institution.
[00:03:09.900]And, I think the way that the citizens of the state
[00:03:13.350]really rally around and support leadership,
[00:03:17.460]and agriculture, and natural resources.
[00:03:20.760]And, through the years we've had leadership on campus
[00:03:23.880]that have not abandoned that designation, and that focus,
[00:03:28.110]and the the ways in which it really is
[00:03:31.320]the leading economic driver for the state of Nebraska.
[00:03:35.310]You know, you mentioned
[00:03:36.143]that not all spots around the world get rain.
[00:03:38.790]It's a hard part thing.
[00:03:40.200]So, why is the work on this project so important right now
[00:03:43.290]for Nebraska and for the whole world?
[00:03:45.600]Yeah. I think one of the things that really impacts
[00:03:48.570]most of us is just food insecurity.
[00:03:51.660]Yeah. And food deserts.
[00:03:53.807]And, I think for a lot of us,
[00:03:55.115]we saw that during the pandemic
[00:03:58.050]when families could not get baby formula for their children.
[00:04:03.840]And, I think a basic necessity for most of us
[00:04:06.211]in terms of our hierarchy of needs has to do with shelter,
[00:04:11.490]and food, and water,
[00:04:12.930]and just sort of knowing that we're gonna be okay.
[00:04:15.360]And so, as you think about all the things that are going on
[00:04:17.550]around the world today, having food security,
[00:04:21.540]and eliminating food deserts,
[00:04:23.520]and doing that in a way that's sustainable
[00:04:26.304]is just something that's important to the university,
[00:04:28.770]and something that's important to the state,
[00:04:30.870]and something that's very important to me.
[00:04:33.480]And so, for my chancellorship here,
[00:04:35.414]to know that we're on the cutting edge of
[00:04:38.370]some of these global issues around basic human needs,
[00:04:42.900]it's just very exciting.
[00:04:44.190]It's something all Nebraskans can be proud of,
[00:04:46.140]the work that's being done at UNL in this line of research.
[00:04:51.540]I hope you have some candy leftover from Halloween.
[00:04:53.384]You have a little Snickers bar?
[00:04:55.590]What is your favorite candy? Well, I'm a Reese Cup.
[00:04:58.440]Okay. As evidenced by my waistline
[00:05:00.451]and the fact that in the wintertime we have to layer up
[00:05:04.590]Yeah.
[00:05:05.423]But, we still have to be able to button
[00:05:06.657]the outermost layer.
[00:05:08.097]So, your chancellor needs to push back a little bit
[00:05:12.510]from the Reese Cups and the candy bars,
[00:05:15.270]and maybe a little more walking and cardio
[00:05:18.180]is probably what the doctor would order for me.
[00:05:20.220]You have to spoil yourself every now and then, Chancellor.
[00:05:22.451](laughs) I've been saying that for years.
[00:05:23.970]There you go, good to see you.
[00:05:24.900]Thank you, Brother.
[00:05:25.733]Ronnie Bennett with us here on our pregame show,
[00:05:27.660]we've got more, Countdown to Kickoff.
[00:05:28.950]Matt Coney is back with a Big 10 Blitz next.

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Football vs. Michigan State

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