North Carolina Sea Grant Crop Resilience Project Earns New Funding

For immediate release
Contact: Rebecca Jones

A North Carolina Sea Grant core project has received coastal adaptation and resilience institutional funding from the National Sea Grant Office. Alex Manda, a geologist at East Carolina University, earned additional funding to extend his coastal resilience work in eastern North Carolina communities.

His 2024-2026 core project, “Investigating Drivers and Processes of Soil Salinization and Saltwater Intrusion in Coastal Agricultural Communities of Eastern North Carolina,” explores and maps how drainage infrastructure may contribute to salinity in groundwater and soils in low-lying coastal areas where saltwater intrusion is an issue. His goal is to increase the capacity for farmers to know and react to high salinity in their fields.

“Agriculture is a key industry in North Carolina, and Alex’s work is integral to helping farmers be proactive in preparation for potential disruptions to their crops,” says Susan White, North Carolina Sea Grant’s executive director.

Manda’s team will work directly with community members in rural Hyde County by providing them with tailored information, guidance, and capacity to manage or reduce risks from salt water. The project will recruit students and community members through a variety of partners, including NC Cooperative Extension, to directly participate in community knowledge sharing during and after the completion of the project. The team hopes to create a “high salinity alert system” to notify farmers when they need to make shifts or take action.

This NOAA funding is being used to enhance engagement, technical assistance, education, and research investments to address climate and weather impacts in local communities across the country.

Read about the other projects funded here.

Learn more about Sea Grant funding opportunities.