Registration is now open for the second international Water for Food conference May 2-5. The conference will feature presentations by leading experts from around the world.

The University of Nebraska and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are hosting the conference, “Water for Food: Growing More with Less,” at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, 333 S. 13th St. The conference is designed to foster dialogue among international experts on key issues related to the use of water for agriculture.

UNL faculty and students who plan to participate are invited to submit poster abstracts for the juried poster competition. The conference will feature a juried poster session and reception with awards for the best posters. The deadline for submitting poster abstracts for consideration is 4 p.m. April 5. Poster submission requirements, deadlines and a submission form are featured on the conference Web site at http://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/2010.

The discount for early registration ends April 1. UNL faculty and students who participate in the poster session will receive full admission to the conference at no cost. Details about costs, schedule, speaker information and the online registration also are available on the conference Web site.

Conference features include:

• Keynote and plenary presentations by leading international experts.

• Concurrent afternoon sessions on four broad conference themes: Genetics and Physiology of Crop Water; Human Dimensions of Water for Food Production; Technologies and Advances in Water Management; A View from Agricultural Producers.

• Breakfasts, luncheons and banquets that provide opportunities for networking, informal discussion and partnership building.

The inaugural Water for Food conference in 2009 drew more than 150 representatives from universities, industry, government and nongovernmental organizations worldwide. A goal of that conference was to explore how the global Water for Food Institute being established at the University of Nebraska can bring an international perspective and expertise in many disciplines to research focused on using our limited freshwater supplies to ensure a reliable food supply for current and future generations.

The 2010 conference will provide knowledge from experts who bring decades of experience and perspectives from many cultures.