Enabling Agricultural Innovations for Sustainable Food Security: Biotechnology and Seeds Systems in Asia and Africa | USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 20 0025

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 20 0025

Enabling Agricultural Innovations for Sustainable Food Security: Biotechnology and Seeds Systems in Asia and Africa is a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) competitive grant aimed at strengthening science-based decision-making around agricultural biotechnology and connecting those decisions to stronger, more modern seed systems in partner countries. The U.S. Government and USDA position the effort as part of a broader international outreach strategy that promotes evidence-driven, risk-proportionate approaches to evaluating and adopting both established and emerging biotechnologies. In practical terms, the program is built around training and technical assistance for government decision-makers, regulators, technical experts, and other key stakeholders, with the goal of helping participating countries use biotechnology as one tool to improve agricultural sustainability and food security.

The opportunity is designed as a partnership with a U.S. land-grant university, which would work closely with USDA/FAS to plan and deliver the program. The university partner is expected to help design curricula, identify and recruit appropriate experts across disciplines (regulatory science, law, social science, economics, and agricultural development practice), select participating countries and regional bodies in coordination with USDA/FAS, and establish indicators to measure success. Activities can be delivered in the United States, in partner countries, or virtually, and the work was envisioned to occur over the award period covering FY 2021 to FY 2022.

The program has three main purposes that focus on two geographic audiences: the Philippines and African Union (AU)-related stakeholders. First, it seeks to increase understanding among Philippine policymakers and stakeholders about how modern biotechnology contributes to agricultural innovation and how to adopt such innovations using science-based and risk-based oversight. Second, it aims to strengthen the capacity of policymakers and technical experts from African countries with responsibilities tied to the African Union, with particular attention to biotechnology as it relates to seed production and seed trade. Third, it emphasizes the link between biotechnology adoption and food security outcomes, including the trade policy considerations that may be necessary in the Philippines and within AU contexts so farmers can access innovations (for example, how regulations, approvals, and trade rules can either enable or restrict movement of biotech-derived seeds and products).

The stated objectives expand these purposes into specific implementation priorities. A central requirement is delivering tailored trainings for Asian and African participants on the key considerations needed to enable science-based, risk-proportionate adoption of biotech, including applications in both plants and animals. Another major element is hands-on technical assistance to help governments and regional stakeholders integrate biotechnology and newer breeding approaches (including genetic engineering and genome editing) into seed sector improvement efforts. This includes focusing on the practical challenge of ensuring reliable availability of high-quality seeds, especially for small-scale producers, and may involve advisory support for seed system modernization, consultations to incorporate biotech into seed initiatives, support for public or private research and development pipelines, and targeted outreach to government stakeholders whose buy-in is necessary for adoption. The program also prioritizes structured information sharing across regions so participants understand how different countries adopt biotechnology, how seed sectors are organized differently, and what those differences mean for farmers, environmental outcomes, regulatory costs, and broader cost-benefit considerations.

A further required output is the development of action plans informed by participant input. These action plans are meant to capture concrete next steps for country or regional efforts, identify gaps in capacity, and set a forward-looking agenda for additional technical assistance. Alongside this, the program explicitly promotes development of science-based, risk-proportionate regulatory approaches and encourages regional alignment and cooperation, recognizing that more consistent regulatory systems can reduce friction for cross-border seed movement, facilitate innovation, and support trade.

The solicitation outlines several specific training activities. One is a one-week executive course in the United States focused on GM technologies and precision biotechnology for policymakers and regulators. The intent is to deepen participants understanding of modern biotechnology, relevant national and international policy frameworks, biosafety compliance, the likely impacts of different regulatory choices, and socioeconomic considerations that influence public decisions. The executive course is also expected to include site visits to advanced biotechnology facilities to reinforce learning through exposure to real-world research, development, and regulatory-support environments. The target group for this executive course is small and senior: five policymakers/regulators from the Philippines and three from AU countries, and the program must include an evaluation of knowledge gained.

A second U.S.-based component is a short-term, more technical training track for Philippine participants that can cover multiple specialized topics. These topics include risk analysis for GM animals intended for food, advanced risk analysis for GM crops (aimed at senior technical officers and mid-level managers working under the Philippines Joint Department Circular for modern biotech regulation), risk management and risk communication, laboratory tours and practical exposure to gene editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas as well as ZFN, TALEN, and ODM, and other innovative breeding methods. It can also include training on new breeding techniques to strengthen breeding programs within the Philippine Department of Agriculture, biotechnology tools for rapid detection of pests, diseases, and contaminants to improve regulatory services, and the use of bioinformatics tools for genomics work. This portion also requires evaluation of participant knowledge gains and targets five personnel from Philippine Department of Agriculture agencies involved in GM product risk analysis and researchers from the DA Biotech Center.

Finally, the opportunity includes an Africa-focused regional activity: a Seed Biotechnology Regional Workshop in Ethiopia for the African Union, designed for approximately 10 to 15 participants. This workshop aligns with the program emphasis on seed systems, regional cooperation, and the practical regulatory and policy needs that shape seed production and trade, particularly where biotech traits or modern breeding methods are involved.

From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary USDA opportunity under CFDA 10.960 (Technical Agricultural Assistance). Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, with USDA/FAS specifically seeking a land-grant university partner. The funding opportunity number is USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 20 0025, with an anticipated single award, an award ceiling of $350,000, and an original closing date of August 17, 2020 (with the opportunity created June 26, 2020). Overall, the grant is structured to combine policy-facing executive education, deep technical training, and regionally oriented seed-biotechnology collaboration, all centered on building the capacity and confidence needed to regulate and adopt agricultural biotechnology in a way that is evidence-based, proportionate to risk, and supportive of food security goals.

• The Department of Agriculture, Technical Agricultural Assistance 10.960 in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enabling Agricultural Innovations for Sustainable Food Security: Biotechnology and Seeds Systems in Asia and Africa" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.960.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 26, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 17, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 20 0025

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