The United States of Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released the request for
applications (RFA) for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
Foundational Program. This funding opportunity supports research, education and
Extension in fundamental and applied food and agricultural sciences. In Fiscal
Year 2013, NIFA plans to award $136 million to support the AFRI Foundational
Program.
The AFRI Foundational
Program addresses six priority areas to continue building a foundation of
knowledge in fundamental and applied food and agricultural sciences critical for
solving current and future societal challenges. The six priority areas include:
plant health and production and plant products; animal health and production and
animal products; food safety, nutrition and health; renewable energy, natural
resources and environment; agriculture systems and technology; and agriculture
economics and rural communities.
AFRI is NIFA’s flagship competitive grants program and
was established under the 2008 Farm Bill. AFRI is funded at $264 million in FY
2012. Additionally, AFRI will make awards in four other challenge areas – food
safety, global food security, climate variability and sustainable bioenergy—and
through the foundational and fellowship programs. The AFRI challenge areas will
continue to support societal challenge areas where research, education, and
extension can achieve significant and measurable
outcomes.
All AFRI program information, including the RFAs, is
available online. NIFA will post a series
of webinars focused on the individual RFAs to provide an overview of the program
areas. Visit www.nifa.usda.gov/afri for more
information. Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and
extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical
issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future.
More information
is available at: www.nifa.usda.gov.
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