RECEIVED MAY 1 1 G05


April 2005 Vol. 16, No.4


International


UF/IFAS International Programs Office of the Vice President for Agriculture & Natural Resources Gainesville, Florida 32611


USAID official outlines opportunities


 USAID's David Sammons has an important message for UF/IFAS faculty: agriculture is back on the agency's agenda, and universities can play a role in USAID initiatives.
 Sammons, senior adviser for University Relations and Agricultural Research Training and Outreach Office for Agriculture, visited UF/IFAS in April to discuss opportunities for fac-


ulty to work with USAID on the international development agenda.
 USAID, Sammons said, is trying to re-engage with universities in projects related to agriculture in the broadest sense, including natural resource


science and technology for strengthening agriculture, fostering capacity for innovation, and strengthening training, education outreach and adaptive research.
 2. Participation in one of the Collaborative Research Support Programs, or CRSPs. These U.S. university-led opportunities leverage research capacity as well as training
 skills in the university
 Community. Some existing CRSPs focus on peanuts, soils, beans, cowpeas, sustainable agriculture and natural resources as well as inte-


 grated pest management. David Sammons discusses UF/IFAS faculty memopportunities with USAID. bers have been involved


management, aquaculture, forestry, family science and human health.
 During a Global IFAS Seminar, Sammons outlined the project areas where UF/IFAS faculty can interact with the agency.
 1. The USAID Agriculture Strategy: Linking Producers to Markets. Projects in this area are designed around economic development, linking producers to domestic and export markets. The strategies include expanding trade opportunities and improving the trade capacity of producers, improvement of social and economic conditions, environmental sustainability of agriculture, mobilizing


 with projects in several of the CRSPs. Two faculty recently received planning grants for the SANREM CRSP focused on the reduction of soil degradation and forest destruction, as well as global climate change.
 3. Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research. USAID contributes about $26 million a year to the 15 CGIAR centers, and agency missions contribute an additional $25 million-plus annually to these centers. USAID supports linkages between
 See Opportunities, p. 2
 x* UNIVERSITY OF
 FLORIDA

 IFAS


Telephone: 352 392-1965 FAX: 352 392-7127 Website: http://international.ifas.ufl.edu


April 2005


Vol. 16, No. 4

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