In 2016, FFAR’s Board of Directors defined seven Challenge Areas, research topics that comprise the Foundation’s strategic research framework. Each Challenge Area aims to solve large-scale agricultural problems, while understanding broad implications and impacts. FFAR’s original seven Challenge Areas included:

• Healthy Soils, Thriving Farms
• Protein Challenge
• Food Waste and Loss
• Overcoming Water Scarcity
• Urban Food Systems
• Making My Plate Your Plate
• Forging the Innovation Pathway to Sustainability

In 2018, FFAR worked with its stakeholders to revise the Challenge Areas to keep pace as the agriculture ecosystem evolves. The FFAR Board of Directors voted to approve the updated Challenge Areas in October 2018 and they were instated in fall 2019.