Megan Konar
The last few years have been a perfect storm of adverse weather conditions and increased global demand for food, leading to sky-rocketing prices of agricultural commodities and food insecurity in many regions of the world. On top of this, climate change is anticipated to dramatically alter rainfall and crop yield patterns, while rising populations and incomes will continue to enhance demand, making it imperative to formulate effective policy for water and food security. For Megan’s Ph.D. dissertation, she is researching how water and food systems are linked through trade, which can be represented by the global virtual water (i.e. the amount of water used throughout the entire production process of agricultural commodities) trade network. In particular, she is interested in the potential for international trade to buffer climate shocks.