By Scout Nelson
Kansas State University has been awarded up to $50 million by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to lead the Climate Resilient Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (CRSIIL) as part of the Feed the Future initiative.
This five-year project will enable Kansas State researchers, along with international partners, to develop and test agricultural practices that enhance resilience to climate challenges, weather extremes, and diverse environments.
CRSIIL’s research will target critical areas including climate adaptation, improved resource use efficiency, soil health, ecological intensification, and renewable bio-economies. These research efforts aim to increase agricultural productivity on less land while minimizing environmental impacts.
Feed the Future Deputy Coordinator for Development Dina Esposito, who announced the award, emphasized, “The Climate Resilient Sustainable Intensification lab led by Kansas State University will conduct research to develop and adapt technologies that increase agricultural productivity on less land with fewer environmental tradeoffs.”
Vara Prasad, director of CRSIIL and a distinguished professor at K-State, noted that this project builds on the Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL), an earlier $75 million initiative.
CRSIIL will now emphasize climate resilience, working in partnership with eight countries: Cambodia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Senegal, Ghana, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Research in these regions will contribute to agricultural advancements in Kansas and beyond, including the development of a Digital and Decision Agriculture consortium to support efficient and sustainable practices.
The project’s impacts are expected to be widespread. K-State President Richard Linton highlighted the award's significance, describing it as one of the largest collaborative research grants in the university’s history and a testament to K-State’s reputation in agricultural innovation.
Prasad shared his passion for the project’s potential impact, stating, “This work is about individuals, meaning lives and livelihoods.when somebody’s life changes because of work you do, you can’t put an economic value on that.”
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