[2] The board's mission is to draw on the expertise and scientific knowledge of those in higher education to advise the US international assistance on the effect of domestic efforts to end food insecurity.

BIFAD was also tasked with the formulation of basic policy, procedures, and criteria for project proposal review, selection, and monitoring, as noted in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

[6] Challenges facing the production of foodstuffs include the threat of new strains of pathogens, dropping water tables, and a changing climate.

One idea for Universities to help with Haiti's reconstruction was to host students whose institution had been destroyed by the earthquake, so that they could continue or finish their studies without disturbances.

The task force met in person in March to set realistic expectations with a focus on long-term thinking of a vision for Haiti.

"[16] The BIFAD Board meets several times per year with the representatives from key institutions (USAID, APLU), ecetera and land grant universities to discuss the ongoing projects and most important topics concerning agriculture and education.

This initiative is a major new effort to train individuals and strengthening the public and private institutions of developing countries, enabling them to take advantage of scientific and technological breakthroughs to promote innovation across the agricultural sector.

[20] In May 2011, Feed the Future (FtF) held a forum that placed a major emphasis on research, technological development, policies, and a "whole government" approach to ending world hunger.

The principal goal of the initiative was to facilitate deeper and more effective partnerships between African and U.S. institutes of higher education with a focus on contributing more effectively to key priority development areas such as science and technology, agriculture, environment and natural resources, engineering, business, management and economics, health, and education and teacher training.

His research has led to an increase in crop profitability and food security, while also lowering the usage of pesticides protecting both farmers and the surrounding environment.

Her work has led to effective communication about farmer needs and improved and sustainable farming practices, increasing food security in many developing countries.

[28] D. Layne Coppock of Utah State University and Dr. Getachew Gebru of MARIL PLC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, were chosen as winners of the 2015 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence.

Their team was chosen for their work in Pastoral Risk Management (PARIMA) Project where they focused on ways to diversify income, assets, and improve access to information among primarily female pastoralists through micro-loans.

Dr. Beaver and Dr. Rosas collaborative research has directly improved the incomes and food security of smallholder farmers across the Central America.

His work with parasitoids as a way to control pests, mainly the Niger's pearl millet head miner which causes hundreds of millions of dollars in crop damages each year.

This innovative solution was chosen due to its usage of naturally occurring parasitoids to control the population of the millet head miner which unlike pesticides is environmentally sustainable and does not negatively impact the farmers that use them.

[32] Dr. Hillary Egna of the Oregon State University was selected as the winner of the 2018 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence as a senior researcher.

[33] Mr. Mohammad Mokhlesur Rahman of Kansas State University was chosen as a winner of the 2018 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence as a graduate student.

[35] He was also a fellow with the Borlaug Higher Education for Agricultural Research and Development (BHEARD) Program, funded by USAID and administered by Michigan State University.

[37] The researchers were supported by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small-Scale Irrigation[38] at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M AgriLife.

His work was supported by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

USAID and BIFAD along with other donors have invested in the strengthening of agricultural education and training to enable partner countries to develop a work force that is responsive to local and regional challenges.