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Opportunities, from p. 1
U.S. universities and the centers, and currently sets aside a percentage of its core contribution to support this linkage.
 4. Agricultural biotechnology. This topic has emerged as an important component of the agency's work with developing countries. The agency is seeking ways to use biotechnology as a tool for enhanced crop production and is also interested in policy-related issues relative to utilization of GMOs and risk associated with their use.
 5. Partnerships for Food Industry Development. This program involves four areas fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood, poultry, and natural products and focuses on building market linkages and market capacity for producers of these commodities. All PFID's are university-led.
 BIFAD, the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development. BIFAD, and its subcommittee, the Strategic Partnership for Agricultural Research and Education, or SPARE, is an advisory body to the agency responsible, in part, for strengthening the agency's relationship with universities. Sandra Russo with UF International Center has been recently appointed to


SPARE.
 6. Water Resource Management. Through CRSPs, BIFAD and CGIAR, a global effort is underway to manage, conserve and improve water resources, and USAID has invested substantially in the field.
 7. Long-term training. The focus in this revitalized activity is training young scientists from Africa in topical areas based on African priorities. The program is beginning with master of science degrees.
 8. Global Horticultural Assessment. This work is focused on SubSaharan Africa, Asia and the Near East, and Latin America, where USAID is supporting regional workshops on global horticulture.
 9. Applied biotechnology research. This topic supports economic development by putting biotechnology innovations to work. The initiative involves policy and regulatory issues, risk assessment, and management.
 10. Tsunami relief and recovery efforts. USAID, through its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and in its offices in affected countries, is supporting relief and recovery efforts from the tsunami.
 11. Global Development Alliance.


The initiative involves partnerships with the private sector to further the goals of USAID in specific countries.
 12. Unsolicited proposal development. Through this program, universities can promote their ideas for aiding other countries by working directly with the country missions.
 In meetings with Sammons, UF/ IFAS International Distance Education Committee members described UF/IFAS efforts in developing master's programs for overseas students at the cost of in-state tuition. The program could be useful to USAID, Sammons said. Distance education could help keep down costs of training while enhancing the ability of residents of some nations to get advanced degrees.
 At USAID, Sammons is responsible for providing a bridge between the university community and USAID with special attention to issues and concerns that inform the partnership.
 Contact
SLisette Staai, lms@ifas.ufl.edu J


Extension director visits India
eminole County Extension
 Director Barbara Hughes visited India to observe National Immunization Day as part of a Rotary-sponsored trip.
 Hughes, president of the Longwood Rotary, joined 74 other Rotarians in observing how India immunizes against polio and helps residents with other health issues. The trip was Feb. 1 through Feb. 24. Half the expenses were paid by Longwood Rotary Club.
 The Rotarians traveled through the northern countryside to Japur and Varanasi, where they met with India people and observed the efforts of Rotary International in eradicating polio. More than 200,000 children were vaccinated as part of the program.
 Contact
[Barbara Hughes,
 bhughes @co.seminole.fl.us

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