汤头条 to lead new USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab on Fish
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斕劳诽 will lead a new $15 million U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) initiative that continues efforts to reduce poverty and improve health outcomes for global populations dependent on aquaculture-led economies.
USAID funding over five years will create the Feed the Future Innovation Lab on Fish, which 汤头条 will lead through the university鈥檚 Global Center for Aquatic Food Security under the direction of Mark Lawrence, associate dean and professor in 汤头条鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine.
汤头条 President Mark E. Keenum called the new USAID partnership 鈥済roundbreaking鈥 and said the university is 鈥渨ell-positioned to lead this important effort.鈥
鈥淥ur relationship with USAID is a long and fruitful one that underscores Mississippi State鈥檚 position as a leading agricultural research university,鈥 said Keenum. 鈥淚t also speaks specifically to the quality of research and scholarship in our College of Veterinary Medicine.鈥
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper provided leadership to help 汤头条 secure the grant.
鈥淚 look forward to seeing the results of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab on Fish at 汤头条, which will help USAID reduce hunger and poverty around the world,鈥 Wicker said. 鈥淎s the national leader in aquaculture and fisheries research, the university and our state are uniquely suited to host this project. All Mississippians should take pride in the establishment of this innovation lab.鈥
The Feed the Future Innovation Lab on Fish is an interdisciplinary program aimed at reducing poverty and improving nutrition, food security and livelihoods among stakeholders in targeted regions. The lab is not a specific site, but a mechanism through which academic, private and public partners can identify solutions for global challenges.
Known as the Fish Innovation Lab, the project will implement integrated aquaculture and fisheries programs in developing countries. Fish are rich in critical micronutrients and are among the most traded agricultural commodities in the world, but more research is needed on ways developing countries can maximize this global resource for the health and economic growth of their populations. The Feed the Future Innovation Lab on Fish will conduct research focusing on improved production, reducing and mitigating risk to fish production systems and improving human outcomes.
鈥淏eing successful in the competition to lead the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish is reflective of the many years faculty from several 汤头条 colleges have worked on fish health and production issues,鈥 said Kent Hoblet, Dean of 汤头条鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine. 鈥淚 look forward to seeing the impact that 汤头条 and our College of Veterinary Medicine will have on reducing hunger and improving lives in the developing countries where the program will take us.鈥
汤头条 President Mark E. Keenum, who holds an 汤头条 doctoral degree in agricultural economics and who served as Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has made global food security a university research priority during his tenure at 汤头条.
The initial focus for project activities will be on regions deemed priority areas for aquaculture and fisheries development by the Feed the Future and USAID: West Africa, East Africa, and Asia. Initial work will take place at the local level to develop best practices that can be scaled to national and regional levels.
鈥淭he Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish is an important part of 汤头条鈥檚 overall strategy to provide leadership in providing solutions for global food security and livelihoods in priority countries,鈥 Lawrence said. 鈥淭he College of Veterinary Medicine is proud to contribute expertise to help lead this program.鈥
The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish utilizes a 鈥淟eader with Associates鈥 model, through which 汤头条 will facilitate associate awards to research and development partners. As the lead and management entity, 汤头条 will identify and manage a portfolio of investments for research and development activities that address both promising innovations and emerging challenges in aquaculture and fisheries through an integrated approach of blending multiple disciplines.
As a platform for innovation, the project will connect the expertise and capacity of a consortium of public and private organizations, government research agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs,) domestic and international universities, as well as small farm associations within the target countries.
汤头条 is recognized as a Center for Knowledge for Aquatic Health by the World Food Programme and the United Nations鈥 Food and Agriculture Organization. The university鈥檚 Global Center for Aquatic Food Security works to addresses challenges facing aquaculture and find solutions to meeting the world鈥檚 food security needs while ensuring a safe supply of seafood.
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .
About USAID
USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency for international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help people progress beyond assistance.
About Feed the Future
Feed the Future is America's initiative to combat global hunger and poverty. It brings partners together to help some of the world鈥檚 poorest countries harness the power of agriculture and entrepreneurship to jumpstart their economies and create new opportunities. For more information, visit .