Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) awards Research, Education, Extension, and Integrated grants to improve rural economies, alleviate the impacts of pests and diseases, increase food and agriculture profitability, stimulate the bioeconomy, maintain long-term production capability, increase water efficiency, ensure food safety and nutritional quality, enhance human nutrition, and train the next generation of the food and agricultural workforce. AFRI funds both single- and multifunction research, education, and extension grants that address key problems of national, regional, and multistate importance. AFRI-funded projects sustain all components of agriculture, including farm efficiency and profitability, ranching, bioenergy, forestry, aquaculture, rural communities and entrepreneurship, human nutrition, food safety, biotechnology, and conventional breeding. These projects also create jobs and help develop the next generation of agriculture and food scientists. AFRI-funded integrated projects must include at least two of the three functions of agriculture knowledge – research, education, and extension/outreach – to ensure delivery of science-based knowledge to people, allowing them to make informed practical decisions.