Our Focus Areas

Problem Statement

Complex water rights, fragmented data, and manual reporting burden water districts and hinder transparent water management. Growers need trustworthy, timely data to plan effectively.

What We’re Exploring

• Automated data ingestion from public and private APIs (CIMIS, USGS, private telemetry).
• Secure ledger for water budgets and transactions using blockchain or distributed database technology.
• Predictive models for allocation adjustments based on climate forecasts.

Potential Impact

Empowers data-driven water management, reduces reporting overhead, and builds trust among stakeholders.

Problem Statement

Increasingly frequent and severe droughts threaten agricultural viability and ecosystem health. Current forecasting tools often lack the granularity needed for on-farm decision-making.

What We’re Exploring

• Hyper-local drought indices integrating satellite imagery, weather data, and groundwater levels.
• Scenario planning tools for optimizing crop choices and irrigation strategies under uncertainty.
• Early warning systems for aquifer depletion and land subsidence.

Potential Impact

Helps growers and water managers make proactive decisions to mitigate drought impacts and sustain operations.

Problem Statement

The Central Valley faces significant air quality challenges, including particulate matter from dust and agricultural burning, impacting public health, especially in disadvantaged communities. Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) poses a unique regional threat.

What We’re Exploring

• Deployment of low-cost, solar-powered PM2.5 and soil moisture sensors for real-time dust monitoring.
• Machine learning models to predict high-risk dust events based on weather and soil conditions.
• Community-facing dashboards and alert systems for local air quality advisories.

Potential Impact

Provides actionable air quality information to protect vulnerable populations and inform mitigation strategies.

Problem Statement

Rising energy costs, grid instability, and the transition to electric equipment put pressure on agricultural operations. Farms need reliable, affordable power to maintain productivity and sustainability.

What We’re Exploring

• Techno-economic analysis of on-farm solar, battery storage, and microgrid configurations.
• Demand-response strategies and software for optimizing energy use with irrigation schedules.
• Piloting vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications for electric tractors and farm equipment.

Potential Impact

Reduces energy expenses, improves grid reliability for rural areas, and supports the adoption of clean energy in agriculture.

Problem Statement

Healthy soils are crucial for crop productivity, water retention, and carbon sequestration. Growers need accessible, affordable tools to measure and improve soil health.

What We’re Exploring

• Open-source platform for integrating data from soil sensors, lab tests, and remote sensing.
• AI-powered recommendations for cover cropping, compost application, and reduced tillage.
• Streamlined MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) for soil carbon credits.

Potential Impact

Enhances farm profitability, improves water-use efficiency, and contributes to climate change mitigation.

Problem Statement

Access to robust data and analytical tools is often limited for small to medium-sized farms and underserved rural communities, creating an information gap that hinders participation in modern resource management.

What We’re Exploring

• User-friendly mobile apps for data collection and visualization, designed for low-connectivity environments.
• Workshops and training programs to build data literacy among growers and community advocates.
• Aggregated, anonymized data dashboards for regional benchmarking and policy insights.

Potential Impact

Democratizes access to information, empowering all members of the agricultural community to benefit from data-driven insights.