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Partnership with the U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD)

In 2013, NIFA signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S.–Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) to promote collaboration among U.S. and Israeli scientists and engineers. While the MOU does not obligate either nation to specific funding, it offers the framework for facilitating collaborations through the partnership that BARD and the U.S. government have shared since 1977. 

While the MOU does not obligate either nation to specific funding, it offers the framework for facilitating collaborations through the partnership that BARD and the U.S. government have shared since 1977. This partnership allows Israeli scientists to collaborate with NIFA-funded scientists in specific Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) programs. The partnership with BARD focuses on the goals of both organizations and in support of such critical topics as climate variability and change, animal production systems, breeding and genomics and water for agriculture.

For more information, please read the BARD Memorandum of Understanding.

Explore the 40 Year External Review: Research Impact Assessment. The report is available in a web version and as a PDF file.
 

New Opportunities with BARD 

Food and Nutrition USDA, NIFA-BARD-IIA 

The NIFA-BARD-IIA Food and Nutrition program will support U.S. and Israeli researchers/investigators working together with an Israeli company. The program will grant funding for joint research conducted by a consortium of Israeli and American scientists in authorized research centers (investigators) working with an Israeli company that aims to develop innovative food and nutrition technologies. Read more on the BARD-ISUS funding page.  

Nutritional Security: NIFA-BARD-MOST 

The NIFA-BARD-MOST Nutritional Security program is a new funding track that enhances U.S.-Israel collaboration on joint scientific innovation to address the multifaceted challenges of nutritional security. The program focuses on solutions to promote health, reduce hunger and address diet-related health issues, while enhancing sustainability. Beyond food quality, the program places specific emphasis on the affordability, accessibility, and overall availability of nutritionally balanced diets that are crucial for human well-being. Read more on the BARD-ISUS funding page. 
 

Previous Opportunities with BARD 

Since the inception of the MOU, the NIFA – BARD partnership has funded several projects under the following NIFA programs: 

  • AFRI Water for Agriculture Program - This program provided Israel scientists the opportunity to learn from U.S experiences in collaborative management of water and natural resources more broadly. 

  • AFRI Food Safety - This program focused on food safety issues related to human-pathogen behavior on leafy greens which are important crops in both U.S. and Israel 

  • Academic to Business Leverage Program - B-Lever Program ($2 million). In 2020, BARD and Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) launched the B-Lever program to collaborate with American scientists and small businesses to foster private-sector commercialization of innovative technologies. 

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