SCC-CIVIC-FA Track A: Resilient Rice Farming through Community Innovation

Agriculture is under increasing pressure from shifting weather patterns, more frequent flooding, and temperature extremes that threaten traditional crops and rural livelihoods. This project explores a promising alternative: introducing rice farming to the region. Rice is naturally suited to wetter conditions and offers a way for farmers to diversify their operations while strengthening their resilience. By establishing two regional rice hubs and a research and development site, the project supports a sustainable and community-centered approach to growing rice in temperate areas. Through direct collaboration with farmers, agricultural advisors, and local organizations, the project helps lower adoption barriers and promotes practices that improve soil and water quality, support rural economies, and provide new pathways for agricultural innovation. The research combines agronomy, environmental science, engineering, and community development to evaluate the feasibility and broader impacts of rice farming in NYS. It includes field trials to test soil and water management techniques that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower arsenic uptake, and enhance nutrient use efficiency. A quasi-experimental study will assess farmer participation and decision-making, while cost-benefit analyses will compare irrigation strategies for environmental and economic outcomes. By working with Cornell Cooperative Extension and other partners, the project will build knowledge-sharing networks, deliver training and decision-support tools, and engage with policymakers to explore institutional support for rice as a strategic crop. The outcomes will offer a science-based and community-informed model for agricultural diversification in regions facing increasing environmental variability. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.