Funding-USDA -
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: Agriculture and Natural Resources
Science for Climate Variability and Change; December 31, 2012
Agency
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Description
The Agriculture and
Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area RFA
focuses on the societal challenge to adapt agroecosystems
and natural resource systems to climate variability and change and implement
mitigation strategies in those systems. In this RFA, specific program areas
are designed to achieve the long-term outcome of reducing the use of energy,
nitrogen, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from practices, and water in the
production of food, feed, fiber, and fuel; reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
these agroecosystems; and increase carbon
sequestration. In FY 2013 only projects that focus on adaptation of production
systems to climate variability and change will be considered.
In FY 2013 the program will consider projects
that involve one or more of the three functions-- research, education and
extension-- that focus on adaptive management to weather and climate. Priority
issues to be addressed by research, extension and/or education activities
include:
1. Understanding the Biophysical Basis for
Adaptation. Understand the physiological, basis of adaptation to abiotic
and biotic stresses likely resulting from climate change, especially the
effects of stressors created by extremes in temperature and precipitation,
diseases/pests, carbon dioxide and ozone.
2. Develop and Evaluate Tools and
Management Practices to Aid Adaptation. Develop and evaluate innovative
tools and management practices that will minimize the effects of abiotic (e.g.,
precipitation or temperature extremes) and biotic (e.g., insects, weeds,
and pathogens) stresses on crop, forest or livestock productivity; crop,
forest, livestock or human health; and/or food safety (e.g., mycotoxins). This could involve defining the appropriate
temporal and spatial scales of managing agroecosystem
processes and building robust and statistically-based models that can be used
in management.
3. Social, Behavioral and Economics
Aspects of Adaptive Management. Social, behavioral, and economics sciences
that link agricultural and forest science, policy, and end-users are requested
to understand and develop strategies to deal with the following questions: Why
people do or do not adopt practices to adapt to climate change? What are the
perceptions about climate change and how do people adjust their behaviors,
perception of risk and production management practices? What is the role of
science-based information and social or cultural barriers in influencing
behaviors? What kind of economic or policy incentives or other mechanisms might
be designed to encourage the adoption of adaptive management strategies and /or
technologies by individuals, institutions or public agencies?
Project types supported by AFRI within this
RFA include multi-function integrated research, education, and/or extension
projects and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants.
**Please note: UK is eligible
for FASE grants which strengthen science capabilities in research, education,
and/or extension programs. FASE Grants are designed to help institutions
develop competitive projects, and to attract new scientists and educators into
careers in high-priority areas of National need in agriculture, food, and
environmental sciences. The FASE Grants provide support for Pre- and
Postdoctoral Fellowships which will be solicited in a separate NIFA Fellowships
Grant Program, New Investigators, and Strengthening Grants.
Announcement
Number:
USDA-NIFA-AFRI-003968
Closing
Date:
LOI: Dec 31, 2012
Full
Proposal: Apr 15, 2013
Link
to Full Announcement
http://nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri.html
Contact
Information
NIFA Help Desk
Phone: 202-401-5048
Business hours are M-F, 7:00 am -5:00 pm ET, excluding Federal holidays If you have any questions related to
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