Following its June 11 board meeting, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture announced its initial research target areas: seven subtopics that fall under the two umbrellas of “better health through food” and “more productive, sustainable agriculture:”
- More productive, sustainable agriculture
- Improving plant efficiency
- Optimizing agricultural water use
- Transforming soil health
- Enhancing sustainable farm animal resilience, productivity and health
- Better health through food
- Achieving a deeper understanding of nutrition and healthy food choices
- Managing food production systems for enhanced human nutritional outcomes
- Spurring food system innovation
In anticipation of the Foundation’s first executive director, Dr. Sally Rockey, joining the Foundation in September 2015, FFAR staff are actively seeking stakeholder feedback on the initial research target areas from stakeholder groups including farmers, foundations, scientific societies, research organizations, public and private companies, the USDA and other government organizations.
While the Foundation is not accepting formal proposals at this time, FFAR’s staff and board are anxious to understand the areas where research is most needed and to being to identify partners in those areas. Interested organizations are invited to reach out to FFAR’s communications officer, Madeleine O’Connor, with specific feedback on FFAR’s preliminary research target areas as the Foundation works to finalize and refine its focus.
At the June meeting, the board also discussed several project ideas and looks forward to announcing a diverse portfolio of its first projects in the coming months.
FFAR’s June board meeting was held on June 11, 2015 in Washington, DC.
The next in-person meeting of the FFAR board will be held in October 2015. A portion of the meeting will be open to the public (location TBA).