FACACLASSIC

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AID - 1053 - Board for International Food and Agricultural Development - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Board for International Food and Agricultural Development	Agency Name	Agency for International Development
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	1053
Original Establishment Date	1/1/1975	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	http://www.usaid.gov/bifad
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	Yes
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	7
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Executive Director and Designated Federal Officer
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Dr.
Current Charter Date	1/17/2025	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Clara
Date Of Renewal Charter	1/17/2027	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	K.
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Cohen
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	202-712-0119
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	202-216-3010
Specific Establishment Authority*	Section 298, Title XII, Chapter 2 of Part 1 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.	Designated Federal Officer Email*	ccohen@usaid.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/20/1975
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Scientific Technical Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	No
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Committee (BIFAD) assists USAID in the administration of programs authorized by Title XII. More specifically, this includes participating in the planning, development and implementation of, initiating recommendations for, and monitoring of the Section 297 program components of Title XII through U.S. public universities and their public/private partners. Title XII Section 297 activities support agricultural development in developing countries by: 1) building institutional capacity and human resource skills, 2) providing long-term U.S. university program support for global collaborative research and learning, 3) involving U.S. universities more fully in the international network of agricultural science, and 4) providing program support for international agricultural research centers, special research problems and national research systems. The Committee accomplishes its purpose by convening public meetings 2-3 times a year and commissioning in-depth studies. The BIFAD members focus on higher-level. strategically oriented issues, and the BIFAD subordinate units focus on operational, planning, and implementation issues. All BIFAD activities are coordinated through the BIFAD secretariat located in the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security at USAID and via a support mechanism.
How is membership balanced?*	The membership is drawn from U.S. public universities, U.S. agro-industry and non-profit organizations concerned with international agricultural development.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	There are two or three public meetings a year to gather testimony, exchange information, and deliberate recommendations to the Agency on any issue requested.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	BIFAD is statutorily mandated to provide USAID a unique point of access and strategic cooperation with U.S. universities and colleges that are implementing their own international agricultural development programs based on domestic regional, state and local security and economic prosperity imperatives. BIFAD coordination not only provides USAID systematic access to the top-level scientific, technical and institutional expertise to address critical international food, climate and agriculture development challenges, but it also enables USAID to lead a truly whole-of-U.S. government response to global food security by enlisting the support of not only our federal government partners but our state and local government partners as well.
Why close or partially close meetings?	There are no closed meetings. However, BIFAD does hold administrative meetings for planning purposes or to gather information.
Recommendation Remarks	BIFAD held one public meeting in FY 2024, Demand-Side Interventions and Approaches for Healthy Diets, to shape the next steps in USAID’s strategic thinking and policy prioritization toward the objective of achieving healthy diets for all. This meeting, convened on September 17, 2024, addressed evidence and evidence gaps, areas for additional research, and prioritized approaches and actions for USAID, centered around demand-side interventions and approaches to improve the processing, storage, distribution, sale, purchase, and consumption of safe and nutritious food. A draft evidence review, Increasing the Demand for Healthy Diets: Evidence on Approaches Across the Food System in Feed the Future Contexts (see link: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/increasing-demand-health-diets-evidence-approaches-across-food-system-feed-future-contexts) was prepared for BIFAD and discussed at the public meeting. A preparatory meeting with 17 experts was convened on July 31, 2024 to gather input for the evidence review and in preparation for the September 17, 2024 public meeting. Recommendations from this public meeting are in preparation. BIFAD recommendations from a series of public meetings and the study, Operationalizing USAID’s Climate Strategy to Achieve Transformative Adaptation and Mitigation in Agricultural and Food Systems, were transmitted to USAID Administrator Samantha Power on November 17, 2023 and can be found at the following link: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/climatereport2023. BIFAD proposed three Agency-wide targets for agrifood system investments that link to broader Climate Strategy targets. They are: 1. Mitigation: Reduce emissions from agrifood systems by 1.2 GtCO2e per year while supporting initiatives to avoid net conversion of forest, grasslands, or peatlands to agricultural use. 2. Adaptation: Enable the improved climate resilience of at least 180 million people who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, at least half of whom are women. 3. Climate Finance: Mobilize $36 billion in finance for climate change adaptation and mitigation in agrifood systems, with at least 30 percent of direct financing used for gender- and socially inclusive investments. BIFAD proposed the following six detailed operational and technical recommendations illuminating a path for Agency-wide transformation to achieve Climate Strategy goals within agrifood systems programming: 1. Set, Measure, and Report on Climate Targets. Require all operating units to define clear and measurable contributions to Climate Strategy targets while standardizing agrifood system-specific climate indicators and introducing new accountability measures to ensure their prioritization. 2. Integrate Climate Objectives in Program Cycle Strategy, Design, and Implementation. Better incorporate climate risk, impact, and projections data to mainstream programs that balance long-term climate-resilient agricultural gains with immediate food security needs. 3. Build Climate Expertise. Fulfill Climate Strategy commitments with an assessment of staffing needed across all operating units to operationalize the strategy and recruitment of necessary dedicated expert staff, in addition to increased training, technical assistance, opportunities for peer learning, and improved performance incentives for mission and other staff. 4. Increase Climate Investment. Increase the level and flexibility of agriculture and food security investments to mainstream climate goals through longer-term or phased funding, stronger collaboration and co-funding with other U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, to better leverage finance, and supporting an enabling environment for adaptation finance. 5. Fund Climate Research. Strengthen the capacity of local and global research organizations to anticipate and address climate adaptation and mitigation needs, including those pertaining to governance, markets, and behavioral change. 6. Invest in High-Potential Leverage Points. Focus technical investments and incentives in high-potential leverage points within agrifood systems to drive emissions reductions and climate-resilient pathways while achieving food security goals. Priority leverage points are: ● Empower Women, Youth, and Other Underrepresented Groups to Drive Locally Led, Climate-Resilient Agrifood Systems ● Increase Finance for Climate Adaptation and Mitigation and Expand its Inclusivity ● Enable the Use and Sustained Provision of Weather and Climate Services ● Partner with and Strengthen Local Research and Development Systems ● Expand Integrated Soil and Water Resources Management ● Expand Integrated Forest and Agricultural Land Management ● Reduce Livestock Emissions while Increasing Production Efficiency ● Reduce Food Loss and Waste An Agency response to the recommendations is under preparation. An Agency response to BIFAD's recommendations from its public meeting on October 19, 2022, Fed to Thrive: Accelerating Action on Nourishing Foods for Infants and Young Children, were transmitted to BIFAD on February 29, 2024 and can be found at the following link: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-bifad-recommendations-october-19-2022-public-meeting-fed-thrive-accelerating-action-nourishing-foods-infants-and-young-children-board-international-food-and-agricultural-development. The Agency sent a response to BIFAD on recommendations from its report, Agricultural Productivity Growth, Resilience, and Economic Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for USAID (which can be found at this link: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/documents/agstudytransmittalmemo) on November 14, 2023. The response may be found at the following link: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-agricultural-productivity-growth-resilience-and-economic-transformation-sub-saharan-africa-implications-usaid. The Agency transmitted a response to BIFAD's recommendations from its May 23, 2022 public meeting, The Global Food Security Crisis: Exploring the Evidence Base and Lessons from the Past to Strengthen Agricultural, Nutrition, and Food Systems in the Face of Shocks, on February 29, 2024. The response may be found at the following link: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-bifad-recommendations-may-23-2022-public-meeting-global-food-security-crisis-exploring-evidence-base-and-lessons-past-strengthen-agricultural-nutrition-and-food-systems-face-shocks.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	Yes	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	Yes	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	Yes
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	Yes
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	BIFAD's FY 2024-2025 work plan includes the overarching goal to provide evidence-based recommendations to USAID and the broader development community and amplify this evidence to inform strategy, policy, and programming that build resilient and sustainable food and nutrition systems to reduce extreme poverty and malnutrition in a changing climate. Three priority work streams include: 1. Strengthening agricultural and food systems to respond to global food security crises and to mitigate the impacts of shocks (i.e., conflict, pandemics, climate change). 2. Improving the affordability of safe and nutritious foods. 3. Adapting to and Mitigating Climate Change in Agricultural and Food Systems BIFAD is also committed to intentionally embedding the following cross-cutting themes across the three priority work streams: 1. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, including engagement of minority-serving institutions and women's empowerment and economic empowerment. 2. Locally led development 3. Research and Development 4. Higher education engagement 5. Private sector engagement Near-term priorities implemented in FY 2024 include: 1. Providing recommendations to shape USAID strategic thinking and policy prioritization on demand-side interventions and approaches to increase the distribution, purchase, and consumption of healthy food. Preparatory research for BIFAD will include a review of existing evidence related to the creation and increase of the demand side for safe, nutritious food in LMICs relevant to Feed the Future priority countries and focus zones, including measures and metrics related to monitoring progress and understanding impact and a preparatory roundtable discussion with key experts, practitioners, and other relevant stakeholders to generate a prioritized set of policies, programming, and market-based approaches that USAID can implement in Feed the Future Programming portfolios. The research will be presented and deliberated at a public meeting in September 2024. 2. Establishing a permanent, high-visibility BIFAD subcommittee to promote dialogue for sustained, inclusive, and equitable engagement of Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) in Agency agricultural, food security, nutrition, and resilience programming and policies. Subcommittee members will be appointed in 2024 and will develop a work plan and schedule of preparatory meetings, leading to a BIFAD public meeting in 2025.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	Not Applicable	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	BIFAD does not review specific projects or agency initiatives whereby a cost-saving analysis would occur. BIFAD focuses its attention at the policy and strategic level as related to USAID's food security and agricultural programs.	Grants Review Comment	Not applicable
Number Of Recommendations*	9	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	There were 3 climate change targets (adaptation, mitigation, and finance) and 6 operational recommendations transmitted in FY 2024.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	NA	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	100.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	Please see https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/climatereport2023 for BIFAD recommendations to USAID intended to help USAID accelerate achievement of its ambitious Climate Strategy goals within agrifood systems programming. These recommendations are being partially implemented, and an agency response was posted online on October 29, 2024 at https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-operationalizing-usaids-climate-strategy-achieve-transformative-adaptation-and-mitigation-agricultural-and-food-systems.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	No	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	Agency feedback is provided via planning, the public meetings, and formal responses to BIFAD recommendations. Agency responses to recent BIFAD recommendations are now available. Agency response to BIFAD recommendations from the May 23 2022 public meeting: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-bifad-recommendations-may-23-2022-public-meeting-global-food-security-crisis-exploring-evidence-base-and-lessons-past-strengthen-agricultural-nutrition-and-food-systems-face-shocks Agency response to BIFAD recommendations from the October 19, 2022 public meeting: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-bifad-recommendations-october-19-2022-public-meeting-fed-thrive-accelerating-action-nourishing-foods-infants-and-young-children-board-international-food-and-agricultural-development Agency response to BIFAD recommendations and report on agricultural productivity and economic transformation in sub-Saharan Africa: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-agricultural-productivity-growth-resilience-and-economic-transformation-sub-saharan-africa-implications-usaid An Agency response to BIFAD's November 2023 climate change recommendations: https://www.usaid.gov/bifad/document/agency-response-operationalizing-usaids-climate-strategy-achieve-transformative-adaptation-and-mitigation-agricultural-and-food-systems.	Narrative Description*	The Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD) is a seven-member, presidentially appointed advisory committee to USAID established in 1975 under Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended, to ensure that USAID brings the assets of U.S. universities to bear on development challenges in agriculture and food security and supports their representation in USAID programming. Under its charter, it advises the USAID Administrator on issues as requested.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	2/19/2025 10:11 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

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