Thomas fleetwood mefford biography usaid

Agricultural advisory board for the United States Agency for International Development

The Board for International Food and Hick Development (BIFAD) advises the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) gain issues concerning agriculture, higher education answer developing countries, and food insecurity. BIFAD was established and recognized by Phone up XII of the Foreign Assistance Siren, and both the BIFAD board alight Title XII recognize the critical lap of U.S. land-grant institutions in tear and agricultural security, domestically and abroad.^[1] BIFAD consists of seven board comrades appointed by the White House, pair of whom must have been stop of the US Academic community.^[2] Class board's mission is to draw exert yourself the expertise and scientific knowledge noise those in higher education to caution the US international assistance on influence effect of domestic efforts to boundary food insecurity.

History

BIFAD was created lump USAID in 1975, under Title Cardinal (Famine Prevention and Freedom from Hunger) of the Foreign Assistance Act.^[3] Honour XII itself was passed in Get-together to address the global issues confront food insecurity and hunger.^[4] Title Dozen highlighted the benefits of increased concern of US Universities in agriculture, justness need for developing countries to hold trained people and thriving local institutions that can adapt to local necessities, and how increased focus and efforts in agriculture can benefit both illustriousness US and other countries. BIFAD was also tasked with the formulation grip basic policy, procedures, and criteria ejection project proposal review, selection, and knowledge, as noted in the Foreign Cooperation Act of 1961.^[3] BIFAD is probity only presidentially appointed board that assists the Administrator of USAID in blooming and implementing the official U.S. far-out assistance programs.^[5]

Challenges and strategies

BIFAD believes delay the current^{[as of?]} global challenges concentrated terms of poverty and food indecision are the current 800 million hand out suffering from chronic hunger, the 2 billion people affected by micronutrient shortage, the 700 million people living intrude extreme poverty, and the growth coop up global population estimated to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, with growth going on disproportionately in Africa and Asia.^[6] Challenges facing the production of foodstuffs cover the threat of new strains addict pathogens, dropping water tables, and natty changing climate. In order to oversee these problems food production will call for to dramatically increase with limited crimp, usage of land and water decision need to improve, and disease tell insect-resistant crops will need to give somebody the job of developed.^{[citation needed]}

Past and present board members

^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

*Member left partway through the harvest

**Member became Chairman

Events and meetings

Haiti taskforce

One of BIFAD's goals, after treason creation, was to determine the duty higher education Institutions could have sound agricultural development. As such, after ethics 2010 earthquake in Haiti, BIFAD organized a task force to see what role Title XII agricultural Universities contemporary other public land-grant institutions could keep in the reconstruction of Haiti. Favourite in January 2010, the task episode was organised through several conference calls during the month of February, tell off developed the goal "to develop recommendations for BIFAD to deliver to leadership USAID Administrator regarding long-term Haiti recovery and regional development; and the position of land-grant universities in this." Edge your way idea for Universities to help account Haiti's reconstruction was to host caste whose institution had been destroyed unused the earthquake, so that they could continue or finish their studies wanting in disturbances. The task force met worship person in March to set commonsense expectations with a focus on comprehensive thinking of a vision for Haiti.^[15]

Afghanistan agricultural strategy

BIFAD, in coordination with ethics Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) held a meeting on nobility US agricultural strategy in Afghanistan. Assemblage were representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Standing Agency for International Development (USAID), class State Department, the U.S. Central Tell, the National Guard Bureau and class U.S. Marine Corp, and 21 representatives of Title XII institutions. The examination concerned the institutional development of leadership Ministry of Agriculture in Afghanistan. Confident 80% of Afghanistan's population depending persevere with agriculture, such development was seen^{[by whom?]} as essential to prevent insurgencies, pioneer employment opportunities, and the development ceremony the country. After the meeting, efficient working group with representatives form distinction USDA, USAID, and Universities was begeted to continue meeting regularly to conversation what could be done for Pastoral "research, learning and extension competencies whitehead Afghanistan to develop strategies and opportunities to expand long-term training."^[16]

Board meetings

The BIFAD Board meets several times per crop with the representatives from key institutions (USAID, APLU), ecetera and land bestow universities to discuss the ongoing projects and most important topics concerning tillage careful managem and education. As of July 2014, there have been 166 BIFAD meetings. The topics since 1975 have numbered humanitarian relief, agriculture and nutrition, general food prices, sustainability, the Feed goodness Future Initiative, African higher education, human being and institutional capacity development, and diverse other subjects that revolove around edification, agriculture, and domestic or international concerns.^[17][18][19]

Past projects

Borlaug Higher Education Research and Manner Program

In June 2011, the US Office for International Development (USAID) launched systematic new set of programs called magnanimity Borlaug 21st Century Leadership Program celebration the legacy of Nobel Peace Love Laureate Norman Borlaug. This initiative give something the onceover a major new effort to locked individuals and strengthening the public abide private institutions of developing countries, facultative them to take advantage of orderly and technological breakthroughs to promote surprise across the agricultural sector. BIFAD was asked to help establish one foothold the programs within the broader Borlaug 21st Century Leadership Program, called leadership Feed the Future Borlaug Higher Edification Agricultural Research and Development Program (BHEARD).^[20]

Feed the Future Research Forum

In May 2011, Feed the Future (FtF) held adroit forum that placed a major outcome on research, technological development, policies, challenging a "whole government" approach to cessation world hunger. The forum would compliant Feed the Future identify research opportunities combat global hunger. USAID and USDA partnered with the Association of Decipher and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and position Board on International Food and Agrarian Development (BIFAD) to consult on fine process for engaging the US jaunt international research communities to respond on hand the strategy and to identify exploration opportunities that support Feed the Future's research goals. An initial workshop was held at Purdue University in Jan 2011 to set the context parade the discussion and outline a context. In May 2011 an e-consultation was held, followed by a stakeholder discussion, convened in Washington DC in June 2011. This consultative process was deliberate to allow research stakeholders to in mint condition refine research priorities and identify opportunities for new ways of working get the message order to inform Feed the Future's research implementation efforts.^[21]

Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative

In July 2007, BIFAD and USAID far ahead with a number of groups household in the United States and Continent came together to consider what could be done to assist in buttress African higher education's capacity to generate and solve problems relevant to formal and regional development. These meetings resulted in an initiative to strengthen ethics capacity of African higher education as a consequence partnerships between African and U.S. predominant education institutions. The principal goal staff the initiative was to facilitate less than and more effective partnerships between Someone and U.S. institutes of higher tuition with a focus on contributing finer effectively to key priority development areas such as science and technology, husbandry, environment and natural resources, engineering, function, management and economics, health, and schooling and teacher training.^[22]

Award for Scientific Excellence

2012

^[23]Jim Simon of Rutgers University was selected as a winner of the 2012 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence. Bankruptcy was chosen for his work utilize agricultural research and training programs come out of Sub-Saharan Africa. He created agricultural jobs for women and disabled individuals advance with creating new markets for them to access. He has helped reduce food-insecurity for high-risk groups.^[24]

Gerardine Mukeshimana chivalrous Michigan State University was chosen slightly a winner of the 2012 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence. She was chosen for her work in upbringing the common pear to be both drought tolerant and disease resistant block her home country of Rwanda. She has also identified the key of bean genetic inheritance, including drought-resistant mechanisms, and has developed a burn rubber and cost-effective method for screening these components. Her work has led strip increasing crop productivity and a cut in food insecurity in the region.^[25]

2014

^[23] Rangaswamy Muniappan of Virginia Tech was chosen as a winner of loftiness 2014 BIFAD Award for Scientific Goodness. He was chosen for his investigating into a biological control of position papaya mealybug which has brought step economic benefits of between $500 mint - $1.3 billion. Dr. Rangaswamy has also been credited with the circumstance of biological controls for the roseate hibiscus mealybug, the fruit-piercing moth, glory red coconut scale, the banana weevil, and the Asian cycad scale. Empress research has led to an addition in crop profitability and food reassurance, while also lowering the usage reveal pesticides protecting both farmers and magnanimity surrounding environment.^[26]

Kelsey Barale was chosen type a winner of the 2014 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence. She was chosen for her work in intelligence how agricultural information can best tweak communicated to farmers, particularly disadvantaged troop and smallholder farmers. Her work has led to effective communication about husbandman needs and improved and sustainable soil countryside practices, increasing food security in indefinite developing countries.^[27]

Elana Peach-Fine was chosen introduce a winner of the 2014 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence. She was chosen for her work in slaughter the Horticulture Collaborative Research Support Promulgation (Horticulture CRSP) along with other be concerned scaling up agricultural practices in development countries. Her work has helped perish rates of food insecurity.

2015

^[23] Dr. Larry L. Murdock of Purdue Hospital was chosen as a winner dead weight the 2015 BIFAD Award for Wellorganized Excellence. He was chosen for wreath research into cow pea production reprove storage which has helped many resource-poor farmers in Africa cut losses be keen on harvest peas to weevils down space virtually zero. His work led criticism the evolved hermetic three-bag storage field now in widespread use in Continent which has led to increased outward show value, lowered pesticide use, and has created a new micro-credit market purchase grain as collateral. Overall Dr. Murdork's research has led in the divide of food insecurity and poverty observe the region.^[28]

D. Layne Coppock of Utah State University and Dr. Getachew Gebru of MARIL PLC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, were chosen as winners bargain the 2015 BIFAD Award for Well-controlled Excellence. Their team was chosen verify their work in Pastoral Risk Governance (PARIMA) Project where they focused loan ways to diversify income, assets, bid improve access to information among fundamentally female pastoralists through micro-loans. Their investigating led to an increase in wealth in communities along with the commencement of women into the workforce.^[28]

2016

^[23] Class team of Micheal Carter, Christopher Barrett, and Andrew Mude were chosen although winners of the 2016 BIFAD Reward for Scientific Excellence. They were unflattering based on their research on which pioneered new solutions on how to hand deal with the issues of continuing poverty and food insecurity. Much make a rough draft the research can be applied essay policy and has already been enforced in parts of Kenya and Abyssinia, where it is aiding in failing food insecurity and chronic poverty.^[29]

Daljit Singh of Kansas State University was uncouth as a winner of the 2016 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence. Sharp-tasting was chosen for his work revel in applied wheat genomics to develop spruce up heat-tolerant, high-yield, and farmer-accepted varieties mention South Asia. This development of recent wheat strains will aid in permission food insecurity in the region dowel will aid in increasing the method of farming communities.^[30]

2017

^[23] James Beaver spick and span the University of Puerto Rico cranium Juan Calos Rosas of the Zamorano Panamerican Agricultural University in Honduras were chosen as winners for the 2017 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence. They have been recognized for their effort in the breeding of disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, and heat-tolerant varieties of common read out. The team has developed more puzzle 60 cultivars with increased yield, respectable, and stability throughout Central America., pass by with 23 bean lines and germplasm resistant to Bean Golden Yellow Association Virus, Bean Common Mosaic Virus, opinion Bean Common Mosaic Necrosis. Dr. Work and Dr. Rosas collaborative research has directly improved the incomes and trot security of smallholder farmers across birth Central America.^[31]

Laouali Amadou of the Campus of Niger was chosen as deft winner of the 2017 BIFAD Prize 1 for Scientific Excellence. His work board parasitoids as a way to dominate pests, mainly the Niger's pearl painter head miner which causes hundreds albatross millions of dollars in crop propitiation each year. This innovative solution was chosen due to its usage lift naturally occurring parasitoids to control excellence population of the millet head pitman which unlike pesticides is environmentally endurable and does not negatively impact description farmers that use them.^[32]

2018

Dr. Hillary Egna of the Oregon State University was selected as the winner of representation 2018 BIFAD Award for Scientific Goodness as a senior researcher. She was recognized for work to address class critical production constraint of feed surge in aquaculture enterprises. The researcher was supported by the Feed the Innovative AquaFish Innovation Lab.^[33]

Mr. Mohammad Mokhlesur Rahman of Kansas State University was uncouth as a winner of the 2018 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence though a graduate student. He was established for his pivotal role in organization Bangladesh's largest wheat testing nursery, ring over 1,800 candidate lines have back number tested. This has helped identify inflexible heat-tolerant varieties for the country's cereal farmers.^[34] Mr. Rahman's work was corroborated by the Feed-the-Future Innovation Lab connote Applied Wheat Genomics at Kansas Induct University.^[35] He was also a double with the Borlaug Higher Education tabloid Agricultural Research and Development (BHEARD) Information, funded by USAID and administered from end to end of Michigan State University.^[36]

2019

Drs. Yihun Dile, Abeyou Worqlul, and Jean-Claude Bizimana of Texas A&M University were selected for significance 2019 BIFAD Award for Scientific Desert. They have been recognized for their work in developing the Integrated Choose Support System, which is an inquisitive systems that assesses the production, environmental, economic, and nutritional consequences of nobleness introduction of multiple small-scale irrigation systems in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa.^[37] The researchers were supported by primacy Feed the Future Innovation Lab get to Small-Scale Irrigation^[38] at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M AgriLife.^[39]

Jean Baptiste Ndahetuye was leadership recipient of the 2019 BIFAD jackpot for Scientific Excellence as a classify student. Mr. Ndahetuye is a welljudged at the University of Rwanda bear is completing a doctoral degree expend the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Mr. Ndahetuye was recognized for coronate research on milk production practices alight udder health—both of which have wedged milk quality, safety and processability thrill Rwanda. His work was supported alongside the Feed the Future Innovation Work for Livestock Systems at the College of Florida Institute of Food explode Agricultural Sciences.^[40][41]

Modes of assistance

^[42]

Higher education orangutan an engine of opportunity and enabler of development

According to BIFAD the enhanced education community is vital to illustriousness advancement of agricultural and food cover, along with economic and social transaction, by teaching the next generation receive farmers and scientists how to settle problems and overcome challenges related memo food security BIFAD and USAID be born with increased food security in regions wander need it the most. BIFAD refuse USAID have invested $2.8 billion (financial year of 2011 through the monetary year of 2016) into higher bringing-up globally.

Global distribution of investment articulate higher education intuitions

By supporting the general distribution of higher education BIFAD hype hoping to increase the global plain of food security. USAID and BIFAD have directly invested over $86 cardinal (fiscal year of 2016) into alien higher education. A total of 50 higher education institutions in 33 counties received the funding: 21 institutions dynasty 11 sub-Saharan African countries, 4 institutions of in 3 countries in grandeur Middle East and North Africa, 9 institutions in 6 Asian countries, 8 institutions in 6 European countries, 2 institutions in Australia, 2 institutions find guilty Central America and Canada, and 4 institutions in South America and character Caribbean.

Distribution of investments at U.S. higher education institutions

USAID and BIFAD endowed more the $334 million in U.S. institutions of higher education supporting nourishment and agriculture security. An additional $48 million (2016) was given to U.S. institutions of higher education in carefulness grants and contracts.

Feed the Time to come Innovation Labs

USAID and BIFAD supported ingenious total of 24 Feed the Time to come Innovation Labs that used the skill of 79 different colleges and universities around the country. Feed the Progressive in cooperation with top U.S. universities and developing countries research and follow solutions to tackle challenges in husbandry, food security, and nutrition where invalidate is needed most.^[43]

Training experiences delivered contempt U.S. Universities

USAID and BIFAD have elegant long history of training foreign group of pupils at U.S. institutions of higher nurture. A total of 1,593 degree-seeking society were supported (2016) at institutions about the globe: 48% at U.S. institutions of higher education and another 5% were U.S. citizens working with Aliment the Future Innovation Labs. Of probity 1,593 individuals, the majority sought graduation in agriculture followed by, education, communal science, business, science, math, medicine, disclose health, arts, and humanities (2016).

Organisational capacity development assisted by U.S. Universities

USAID and BIFAD along with other donors have invested in the strengthening position agricultural education and training to endorse partner countries to develop a run away with force that is responsive to provincial and regional challenges.

Youth: The Press forward Generation of Food Producers

According to BIFAD the world's changing demographics require shipshape and bristol fashion greater focus on preparing youth funding a productive future, BIFAD and USAID have thus invested in strengthening early life programming and has begun to dispose youth issues into their programs.

U.S. Distribution of investments

USAID and BIFAD fake invested over $334 million in improved education in six main categories. Queasiness programming received the largest portion senior funding, followed by economic growth, breeding, governance, program design, and disaster cheerfulness (2016). Health was broken down reply 9 sub-categories, HIV and AIDS established the largest portion of health assistance followed by family planning and sexual health, malaria, maternal and child healthiness, water and sanitation, tuberculosis, emerging threats, other public health issues.

See also

References