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[Federal Register: October 6, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 193)]
[Notices]               
[Page 61695-61696]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc10-34]                         

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AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 
Board for International Food and Agricultural Development; One 
Hundred and Sixtieth Meeting; Notice of Meeting

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby 
given of the one hundred and sixtieth meeting of the Board for 
International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD). The meeting 
will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 12, 2010 at the Des 
Moines Marriott Downtown located at 700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa. 
The meeting venue is in the Marriott Hotel's Iowa Ballroom, Salons A, 
B, and C located on the second floor. ``Higher Education: A Critical 
Partner in Global Food Security'' will be the central theme of the 
October meeting.
    Dr. Robert Easter, Chairman of BIFAD, will preside over the 
proceedings. Dr. Easter is Interim Chancellor and Provost, University 
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
    On May 20 of this year, the Administration officially rolled out 
its global food security strategy, known as ``Feed the Future.'' This 
new initiative has generated considerable anticipation within the 
higher education community, especially since one of the Agency's main 
program pillars will be expansion of research and development to 
increase agricultural productivity globally. As part of the plan to 
increase agricultural research, USAID and USDA have developed the 
Borlaug Initiative. Concurrently, USAID is undertaking a Science and 
Technology Initiative to improve dramatically its scientific capacity 
to carry out Feed the Future and other critical global development 
challenges that increasingly necessitate scientific analysis. The 160th 
BIFAD meeting will review these efforts and provide a forum to advance 
the dialogue between the Title XII community and their Federal 
partners.
    To set the stage for the day's activities, the Board will begin 
with a presentation by Dr. Allen C. Christensen, past Board member and 
Director of the Benson Agricultural and Food Institute at Brigham Young 
University. Dr Christensen will provide a historical perspective on 
important contributions Title XII and universities have made over the 
years, particularly during the last global food crisis 25-30 years ago, 
toward improving the plight of the small, rural farmer in developing 
countries. The lessons learned over the years can have an important 
impact for moving forward with a new global food security policy 
paradigm.
    With Dr. Christensen's presentation as the backdrop, the Board will 
then move forward to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that outlines 
strategic areas of cooperation on science and technology in development 
over the coming months. Signing on behalf of USAID will be Dr. Alex 
Dehgan, the Agency's Chief Scientist and Director of the Agency's new 
Office of Science and Technology. Signing for BIFAD will be Chairman 
Robert Easter. Dr. Dehgan will make remarks regarding USAID's strategic 
priority on ``Transforming Development through Science, Technology and 
Innovation (STI).''
    After the signing ceremony, the Board will then proceed to its main 
theme of the meeting, highlighting the potential role of universities 
in the Administration's Feed the Future Initiative and USAID's renewed 
STI focus. This session will last two hours and provide an opportunity 
for the Title XII community to learn more about the Administration's 
global food security strategy while demonstrating the value added of 
greater university engagement. A panel of USAID and USDA speakers will 
discuss an array of plans and ideas under development for addressing 
global agricultural problems. A panel focusing on the role of research 
and representing the Title XII community will follow. It is expected 
that a Director of a Managing Entity of a Collaborative Research 
Support Program (CRSP) will participate on the panel and explain how 
the CRSP model can help achieve research goals of Feed the Future. 
Another panel member will discuss how the Africa-U.S. Higher Education 
Initiative can build agricultural capacity in Sub-Saharan African 
universities for sustainable agricultural development. One or two Deans 
of Land-Grant universities will round out the panel. Their message will 
highlight how universities have responded to change and have been in 
the vanguard of new approaches, processes, technologies, etc., in the 
functional areas of teaching, research, and extension for addressing 
global problems.
    The Board will then move into the public comment period. At the 
conclusion of comments from the public, the Board will recess for an 
executive luncheon (closed to the public).
    When the Board re-convenes, it will hear a panel discussion on the 
recent workshop conducted by the Minority Serving Institutions Task 
Force, established by BIFAD last year to rejuvenate the partnership 
between USAID and Minority Serving Institutions. The panel will be 
moderated by Board member William DeLauder, who chairs the Task Force.
    The Board will then hear a report on the activities of the Haiti 
Task Force, which the Board established in 2010 in response to the 
tragic earthquake in Haiti. The Task Force is chaired by Board member 
Elsa Murano, who will present a proposal for the long-term rebuilding 
of Haiti's agricultural system.
    After the Haiti Task Force presentation, BIFAD will hear two short 
reports summarizing efforts to build agricultural higher education 
capacity in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Title XII institutions 
continue to play an important role in helping the civilian populations 
of these countries improve agricultural productivity amidst past and 
ongoing hostilities.
    The Board will wrap up its day's proceedings with an update on the 
Title XII report to Congress for FY 2009. The presentation will be made 
by John Becker, USAID/ODP. The Title XII annual report to Congress is 
required by Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act, and provides an 
opportunity for BIFAD's views to be incorporated in the report.
    After the presentations are concluded for the day, but before 
adjournment, the Board will provide another opportunity for public 
comment.
    The Board meeting is open to the public. The Board welcomes open 
dialogue to promote greater focus on critical issues facing USAID, the 
role of universities in development, and applications of U.S. 
scientific, technical and institutional capabilities to international 
agriculture. Note on Public Comments: Due to time constraints public 
comments to the Board will be limited to three (3) minutes to 
accommodate as many as possible. It is preferred to have requests for 
comments submitted to the Board in writing. Two periods for public 
comment will be provided during the Board meeting--just before lunch 
and adjournment.
    Those wishing to attend the meeting or obtain additional 
information about BIFAD should contact Dr. Ronald S. Senykoff, 
Executive Director and Designated Federal Officer for BIFAD. Write him 
in care of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Ronald Reagan 
Building, Office of Development Partners, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Room 6.7-153, Washington, DC

[[Page 61696]]

20523-2110 or telephone him at (202) 712-0218 or fax (202) 216-3124.
    Any questions concerning this notice may be directed to:

--Ronald S. Senykoff, PhD, Executive Director, BIFAD, Office of 
Development Partners, (202) 712-0218.

Ronald S. Senykoff,
Executive Director and USAID Designated Federal Officer for BIFAD, 
Office of Development Partners, U.S. Agency for International 
Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-25201 Filed 10-5-10; 8:45 am]
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