Efficiency-driven worth deliberations: Insights gleaned from Zambian agriculturists and NOAA scientists
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are prime examples of federal agencies employing vertical integration and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enhance their missions.
NOAA, in particular, has forged collaborations with private companies and nonprofits to bolster its environmental data collection, forecasting, and marine resource management. Weather data collection and forecasting have seen significant advancements through partnerships with innovative startups like WindBorne, Tomorrow.io, Sofar Ocean Intelligence, Black Swift Technologies, and Saildrone. These companies provide cutting-edge technologies, AI models, and observations gathered from instruments like balloons and drones, supplementing NOAA's traditional data gathering methods [1][4].
In the realm of marine aquaculture and shellfish initiatives, NOAA Fisheries collaborates with various stakeholders, including industry partners, restoration groups, academia, tribal, state, and federal entities. These partnerships aim to promote sustainable aquaculture and shellfish population restoration, integrating research and commercial production for ecological and economic benefits [2].
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for 740 dams across the country, initially used vertical integration to build levees on the Mississippi and its tributaries, later expanding to over 700 dams for flood risk reduction, transportation, water supply, and hydro power [3].
The shift towards PPPs is increasingly appealing to taxpayers due to the financial constraints faced by the federal government and the nimbleness of private entities. However, vertical integration is not always the best way for agencies to cost-effectively carry out their missions. The success of these partnerships depends on factors such as the mission, available resources, external pressures, and internal pressures.
Harvey Hill, Ph.D., a seasoned professional with over 40 years of experience, has spent his career developing solutions to climate risks. He has worked as an employee and contractor for U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NOAA. His work in Zambia in the 1980s and early '90s, where he helped poor farmers increase their food production and income, influenced his decision to pursue a Ph.D. in agricultural economics [5].
Effective leaders in these agencies must determine the best processes for success and make the case for the authority and budgets to execute those processes. The current administration's priorities present challenges for federal agency leaders, who must navigate these changes to continue delivering essential services.
References:
[1] NOAA. (n.d.). NOAA's Mesonet Program. Retrieved from https://www.weather.gov/mesonet/
[2] NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.). Alaska Mariculture Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/mariculture-initiative
[3] U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (n.d.). List of Projects. Retrieved from https://www.usace.army.mil/Locations/Projects/
[4] National Integrated Drought Information System. (n.d.). Partnerships. Retrieved from https://drought.gov/partners
[5] Personal interview with Harvey Hill, Ph.D. (2022)
Read also:
- Overcoming Yielding Regulations Hurdles in Indian Export Sector for EU Markets
- Shaping production and consumption tendencies via cosmetic certification
- Health care professionals targeted in a shooting incidents, a pattern of hostile actions against health workers continues to unfold, with many observing this trend as unremarkable.
- Transgender individuals' journey towards aligning their gender identity: Key aspects
