Deadline: 10-Mar-21
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) is announcing the 2021 Seeding Solutions program and is inviting applications for audacious research that benefits farmers, consumers and the environment.
FFAR seeks to award up to ten meritorious proposals across their Challenge Areas, prioritizing those projects that emphasize a commitment to cross-sector partnerships.
Program Priorities
FFAR seeks projects that foster innovation with the potential for transformative impact within FFAR’s Challenge Areas. Applications that address the following will receive preference:
- Contribute to the goal of sustainable food and agriculture, defined as practices that “satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operation; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.” (Food and Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, Public Law 101-624, Title XVI, Subtitle A, Section 1603).
- Accelerate innovation within FFAR’s Challenge Areas. For this request for applications (RFA), FFAR defines innovation as follows:
- Radical Innovation: Development of new technologies, software, algorithms, methodology or products with the potential to transform agricultural systems.
- Applied Innovation: Application and validation of new or emerging technologies, processes or management strategies to address significant challenges in food and agriculture systems.
- Re-imagined Innovation: Adaptation of existing technologies, processes or management strategies for entirely new agricultural applications.
- Address an aspect of the following Challenge Area priorities.
- Soil Health: Advanced understanding of what soil health is, how it is measured and how to manage and optimize the sustainable delivery of the ecosystem services which soils provide
- Sustainable Water Management: Interdisciplinary, model-based research related to near-surface hydrology and designed to advance precision agriculture and water management
- Next Generation Crops: Advanced breeding methods and development of biotic and abiotic stress tolerance for crops grown in organic and conventional cropping systems to increase farmer profitability and environmental resilience
- Advanced Animal Systems: Improved animal health, welfare and productivity, antibiotic stewardship and the environment through innovative partnerships
- Urban Food Systems: Elucidation of connections between urban food systems and the urban environment, in addition to the connections between rural and urban communities to improve food and nutritional security, human health outcomes, economic opportunities and food system resiliency through transdisciplinary partnerships
- Health- Agriculture Nexus: Systems-level approaches (both technological and nontechnological) aimed at reducing food and nutritional insecurity and improving human health in the United States and worldwide
- Demonstrate fully integrated partnerships with different sectors (private, non-government organizations (NGO), governments, academia and other stakeholders) such that research outcomes may be scalable and applicable to food and agriculture systems.
- Serve the public good by making data open and accessible to the public, creating unique economic development opportunities or contributing to food and agriculture workforce development.
Funding Information
FFAR will award a total of up to $10 million in grants through the 2021 Seeding Solutions program. Individual awards will range from $300,000 to $1 million for up to ten awards.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research welcomes applications from all domestic and international higher education institutions, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and U.S. government-affiliated research agencies.
- Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) may apply to the Seeding Solutions program through their home institution or organization.
For more information, visit https://foundationfar.org/grants-funding/opportunities/2021-seeding-solutions-request-for-applications/