UF/IFAS International Strengths

The University’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is a federal, state, and local government partnership dedicated to education, research and extension with a global perspective. Core aspects of the UF/IFAS mission are to develop knowledge in agricultural, human, and natural resources and life sciences and to make that knowledge accessible to sustain and enhance the quality of human life throughout the world. UF/IFAS has played a major role in developing Florida’s multi-billion dollar food and agricultural industry. That success was achieved in spite of the state's demanding climate, poor soils, and high incidence of pest and diseases. It has also contributed greatly to solving natural resource and environmental conflicts and serves as the host for the statewide Florida Sea Grant College Program that focuses on coastal problems and priorities.

UF/IFAS has decades of international experience in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia and Europe. The technology that serves Florida’s food, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, water, natural resources and environment, the proven teaching, research and extension institutional systems, and the lessons learned from f international activity enhance UF/IFAS’ international strengths, participation and  contributions to international development.

The landscape of international development efforts is changing. In September 2000, the United Nations Millennium Declaration established Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that provides a framework to work coherently towards a common end in addressing the world’s development needs. The MDG address poverty, illiteracy, hunger, lack of education, gender participation and equality, child and maternal mortality and disease and environmental degradation.  In addition, an emphasis is placed on global partnerships. These goals have a specific timeframe of 2015 and many of the donor agencies are adopting funding strategies reflecting these shared goals. In addition, recent strategy documents and discussion papers on foreign aid from USAID and the State Department address US priority development challenges complementary to MDG, with specific focus on aligning foreign policy objectives and resources for development. 

UF/IFAS has several comparative advantages for working in the new global development framework, and its site and scientific capabilities contribute significantly to addressing the science, policy, and social issues of the new development context.  UF/IFAS has forged strong relationships and research and academic exchanges in most regions. There are currently over 46 cooperative agreements in all regions, the majority (33) in Latin America. Over ½ of the faculty research and academic international activities are in Latin America, with the rest of the regions receiving approximately equal participation. 

UF/IFAS international contributes to and builds on expertise of UF’s regional studies centers focused on Latin America, Africa, European Union and an Asian Studies program. In addition, the Transnational and Global Studies Center (TGSC) International Center of the University of Florida (UF) addresses the complex and interconnected phenomena commonly referred to as "globalization and requiring holistic and interdisciplinary analyses. The TGSC builds synergies among the regional centers, and enhances understanding of global actors and processes.

Regardless of the region or topic, UF/IFAS international research, extension and education strengths include a unique emphasis on:

Tropical Environments, Agricultural Systems and Natural Resources

Florida’s location and sub-tropical climate provide UF/IFAS a comparative advantage over most U.S. universities. Florida’s tropical and subtropical conditions make much of our science relevant to many developing countries. We are exposed to many of the same diseases, pests and production challenges. We are also exposed to and work within fragile subtropical inland and coastal ecosystems that balance the impacts of human population and development with keeping the human and natural systems both economically and environmentally sustainable. Florida’s diverse population provides opportunities and challenges in community development.

Integrated and Interdisciplinary Approaches for Research and Education

Florida and other areas in the world are faced with complex problems due to large increases in demands for natural resources and energy, high population growth rates, and food security concerns. Such problems require interdisciplinary approaches that integrate technological, environmental, social, and political components for developing acceptable and sustainable solutions. UF/IFAS encourages its faculty to engage in interdisciplinary research and has developed key programs addressing issues from a wide-range of perspectives.

Specific international competencies of UF/IFAS research, extension and education faculty and programs include unique expertise in:

• Improve Agricultural and Food Systems Production, Technology and Marketing (plants, animals and aquatics)
• Sustain the Environment through Natural Resource Management, Environmental Restoration and Conservation (Forests, Land, Water and Wildlife)
• Manage Pests (insects, diseases and weeds) affecting Plants, Animals, Aquatics and Natural Areas
• Improve Human Health, Nutrition, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Focus on Social/Policy/Legal/Tenure and Planning Issues Affecting use of Resources
• Develop Human Capacity (education, extension, leadership and communication processes)
• Apply Advanced Information Technologies