Call for Nominations: 2021 BIFAD Awards for Scientific Excellence in a Feed the Future Innovation Lab

The Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD) is pleased to announce the Call for Nominations for the 2021 BIFAD Awards for Scientific Excellence in a Feed the Future Innovation Lab. The Feed the Future Innovation Labs draw on the expertise of top U.S. universities and developing country research institutions to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges to strengthen the resiliency of food and agricultural systems. The BIFAD Awards for Scientific Excellence are one way in which BIFAD recognizes the trailblazing work of these dedicated researchers.

About the Award

The BIFAD Awards for Scientific Excellence in a Feed the Future Innovation Lab recognize individual researchers and/or research teams for significant achievements originating from work performed under the USAID-funded Feed the Future Innovation Labs. The awards recognize research efforts that contribute to the interrelated and interdependent objectives of the Global Food Security Strategy: inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led economic growth, strengthened resilience among people and systems and a well-nourished population.

Award Categories

Two awards are anticipated: the Senior Research Award, for an individual researcher or a team of researchers, and the Student Researcher Award. Nominees must be associated currently or formerly with a Feed the Future Innovation Lab. Achievements upon which award nominations are based must have been completed primarily while affiliated with a Feed the Future Innovation Lab. For detailed eligibility criteria, see the full Call for Nominations.

Selection Criteria

A successful award recipient’s or recipient team’s research should demonstrate scientific and technical merit; dedication to developing country national and/or regional agricultural research priorities; potential for broader impact at scale that contributes to improvements in developing country food security, nutrition, resilience and inclusive, sustainable, agriculture-led economic growth; and evidence of commitment for integrating inclusive development and local capacity development considerations.

Nominations Instructions

• Nomination are accepted until August 13, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
• All nomination packets must be submitted in the online form.
• Nomination materials must clearly address the selection criteria shared in the full Call for Nominations. For more information and details on eligibility and the nomination process, please review the Call for Nominations.

About BIFAD

BIFAD is a presidentially appointed federal advisory committee established in 1975 under Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended. Recognizing the critical role of U.S. land-grant institutions in agricultural development, domestically and abroad, and the importance of their engagement in USAID development programs, BIFAD’s main purpose is to advise USAID on agriculture and higher education issues pertinent to global food security in developing countries.