Blacksburg, Va., Oct. 7, 2004 Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger announced today that the university's Office of International Research, Education, and Development has received the largest single-day award to any university by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade Program in the form of two grants totaling $34 million over 5 years. The work will enhance food security while limiting negative impacts on natural resources through sustainable agricultural programs in developing countries.

Under the terms of the competitively awarded grants, Virginia Tech will be the lead university and the management entity for significant agricultural research and assistance programs designed to improve crop yields through ecologically sound practices for people in developing nations around the world. Of the $34 million, $5 million for each of the two projects will be garnered from the USAID missions around the world.

The USAID uses U.S. land grant universities to promote its development assistance through the mechanism of Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSPs). There are nine CRSPs, each with a distinct mission.

Virginia Tech is now the only university managing two CRSP projects. One $17-million grant provides for Phase III in USAID's Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP). Virginia Tech also managed Phase I and Phase II for the past 11 years. During Phase III, Virginia Tech will initiate new IPM activities through competitive grants for regional pest management programs, as well as for pest management problems of global concern.

The second $17-million award makes Virginia Tech the lead institution and the management entity in the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP), which was formerly managed by another land-grant university with Virginia Tech as a sub grantee
'"/>

Contact: Susan Felker
sfelker@vt.edu
540-231-7188
Virginia Tech
7-Oct-2004

Page: 1 2 3 4 5
Related biology news :

1. National Ecological Observatory Network featured at ESA/SER Joint International Conference
2. International team to honor 30th anniversary of deep-sea vent discovery in Galpagos
3. 2nd International EuroFIR Congress
4. Clinical trial data regarding NKTR-061 will be presented at ATS International Conference
5. Smithsonian hosts Polar Science Symposium to celebrate International Polar Year 2007-2008
6. Eduardo Slatopolsky honored with 2007 ISN Amgen International Prize
7. 4th International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering
8. International risk research strategy and funding needed for nanotech safety
9. Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research recognizes Mina J. Bissell
10. International Astronautical Federation joins project to protect World Heritage sites
11. International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation 27th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions