AFRI

AFRI, the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative, is the United States Department of Agriculture's flagship competitive grants program for agricultural research, education, and extension. Administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), AFRI supports projects that address national, regional, and local priorities in food and agriculture, spanning science, policy, and practice.

The program was established in the 2008 Farm Bill and launched in 2009, consolidating several earlier competitive programs, including the Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Systems (IFAFS). AFRI is funded through annual Congressional appropriations and distributes substantial funding to research, education, and extension activities across multiple disciplines.

AFRI supports a broad spectrum of topics, including plant health and production, animal health and production, food safety and nutrition, sustainable agricultural systems, natural resources and environment, and bioenergy and bioproducts. Proposals typically involve multi-institutional collaboration and emphasize peer review, practical outcomes, and knowledge transfer to growers, educators, industry, and policymakers.

The initiative emphasizes translational science and workforce development, supporting graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and extension personnel. By fostering collaboration among universities, government laboratories, industry, and non-profit organizations, AFRI aims to advance agricultural productivity, resilience to climate and environmental changes, the safety and quality of the food supply, and rural economic vitality.

Overall, AFRI serves as a major mechanism for funding innovative, collaborative research and education that address pressing challenges in agriculture and food systems in the United States.