A new innovative and entrepreneurial research center created by the University of Arizona (UA) aims to solve the most pressing problems facing desert agriculture…faster.

Targeted issues in the crosshairs for the new Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture will focus on a wide variety of desert agriculture issues, including crop protection, sustainability through production efficiencies and yield maximization, water, labor, food safety, economic and environmental challenges, and more. 

The Center will take a 'hot shot team' approach to desert agriculture's problems, gleaning research from the University of Arizona, plus other public and private institutions in the U.S. and around the world. 

“The mission of the Yuma Center (Center) is to solve urgent problems in desert agricultural production and improve each aspect of desert crop production systems and economics,” says Paul Brierley, now in his second year as YCEDA’s executive director.

The ‘Yuma’ in the name is tied to the Center’s physical location in Yuma, based at the UA’s Yuma Agricultural Center. ‘Desert agriculture’ refers to issues facing desert agriculture worldwide.

Click here for the Western Farm Press article on the Yuma Center for Excellence in Desert Agriculture.