[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 193 (Wednesday, October 6, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61695-61696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25201]
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AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Board for International Food and Agricultural Development; One
Hundred and Sixtieth Meeting; Notice of Meeting
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby
given of the one hundred and sixtieth meeting of the Board for
International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD). The meeting
will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 12, 2010 at the Des
Moines Marriott Downtown located at 700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa.
The meeting venue is in the Marriott Hotel's Iowa Ballroom, Salons A,
B, and C located on the second floor. ``Higher Education: A Critical
Partner in Global Food Security'' will be the central theme of the
October meeting.
Dr. Robert Easter, Chairman of BIFAD, will preside over the
proceedings. Dr. Easter is Interim Chancellor and Provost, University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
On May 20 of this year, the Administration officially rolled out
its global food security strategy, known as ``Feed the Future.'' This
new initiative has generated considerable anticipation within the
higher education community, especially since one of the Agency's main
program pillars will be expansion of research and development to
increase agricultural productivity globally. As part of the plan to
increase agricultural research, USAID and USDA have developed the
Borlaug Initiative. Concurrently, USAID is undertaking a Science and
Technology Initiative to improve dramatically its scientific capacity
to carry out Feed the Future and other critical global development
challenges that increasingly necessitate scientific analysis. The 160th
BIFAD meeting will review these efforts and provide a forum to advance
the dialogue between the Title XII community and their Federal
partners.
To set the stage for the day's activities, the Board will begin
with a presentation by Dr. Allen C. Christensen, past Board member and
Director of the Benson Agricultural and Food Institute at Brigham Young
University. Dr Christensen will provide a historical perspective on
important contributions Title XII and universities have made over the
years, particularly during the last global food crisis 25-30 years ago,
toward improving the plight of the small, rural farmer in developing
countries. The lessons learned over the years can have an important
impact for moving forward with a new global food security policy
paradigm.
With Dr. Christensen's presentation as the backdrop, the Board will
then move forward to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that outlines
strategic areas of cooperation on science and technology in development
over the coming months. Signing on behalf of USAID will be Dr. Alex
Dehgan, the Agency's Chief Scientist and Director of the Agency's new
Office of Science and Technology. Signing for BIFAD will be Chairman
Robert Easter. Dr. Dehgan will make remarks regarding USAID's strategic
priority on ``Transforming Development through Science, Technology and
Innovation (STI).''
After the signing ceremony, the Board will then proceed to its main
theme of the meeting, highlighting the potential role of universities
in the Administration's Feed the Future Initiative and USAID's renewed
STI focus. This session will last two hours and provide an opportunity
for the Title XII community to learn more about the Administration's
global food security strategy while demonstrating the value added of
greater university engagement. A panel of USAID and USDA speakers will
discuss an array of plans and ideas under development for addressing
global agricultural problems. A panel focusing on the role of research
and representing the Title XII community will follow. It is expected
that a Director of a Managing Entity of a Collaborative Research
Support Program (CRSP) will participate on the panel and explain how
the CRSP model can help achieve research goals of Feed the Future.
Another panel member will discuss how the Africa-U.S. Higher Education
Initiative can build agricultural capacity in Sub-Saharan African
universities for sustainable agricultural development. One or two Deans
of Land-Grant universities will round out the panel. Their message will
highlight how universities have responded to change and have been in
the vanguard of new approaches, processes, technologies, etc., in the
functional areas of teaching, research, and extension for addressing
global problems.
The Board will then move into the public comment period. At the
conclusion of comments from the public, the Board will recess for an
executive luncheon (closed to the public).
When the Board re-convenes, it will hear a panel discussion on the
recent workshop conducted by the Minority Serving Institutions Task
Force, established by BIFAD last year to rejuvenate the partnership
between USAID and Minority Serving Institutions. The panel will be
moderated by Board member William DeLauder, who chairs the Task Force.
The Board will then hear a report on the activities of the Haiti
Task Force, which the Board established in 2010 in response to the
tragic earthquake in Haiti. The Task Force is chaired by Board member
Elsa Murano, who will present a proposal for the long-term rebuilding
of Haiti's agricultural system.
After the Haiti Task Force presentation, BIFAD will hear two short
reports summarizing efforts to build agricultural higher education
capacity in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Title XII institutions
continue to play an important role in helping the civilian populations
of these countries improve agricultural productivity amidst past and
ongoing hostilities.
The Board will wrap up its day's proceedings with an update on the
Title XII report to Congress for FY 2009. The presentation will be made
by John Becker, USAID/ODP. The Title XII annual report to Congress is
required by Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act, and provides an
opportunity for BIFAD's views to be incorporated in the report.
After the presentations are concluded for the day, but before
adjournment, the Board will provide another opportunity for public
comment.
The Board meeting is open to the public. The Board welcomes open
dialogue to promote greater focus on critical issues facing USAID, the
role of universities in development, and applications of U.S.
scientific, technical and institutional capabilities to international
agriculture. Note on Public Comments: Due to time constraints public
comments to the Board will be limited to three (3) minutes to
accommodate as many as possible. It is preferred to have requests for
comments submitted to the Board in writing. Two periods for public
comment will be provided during the Board meeting--just before lunch
and adjournment.
Those wishing to attend the meeting or obtain additional
information about BIFAD should contact Dr. Ronald S. Senykoff,
Executive Director and Designated Federal Officer for BIFAD. Write him
in care of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Ronald Reagan
Building, Office of Development Partners, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., Room 6.7-153, Washington, DC
[[Page 61696]]
20523-2110 or telephone him at (202) 712-0218 or fax (202) 216-3124.
Any questions concerning this notice may be directed to:
--Ronald S. Senykoff, PhD, Executive Director, BIFAD, Office of
Development Partners, (202) 712-0218.
Ronald S. Senykoff,
Executive Director and USAID Designated Federal Officer for BIFAD,
Office of Development Partners, U.S. Agency for International
Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-25201 Filed 10-5-10; 8:45 am]
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