The momentum for integrating the concepts and principles of sustainable development within academia, business, and government across many sectors such as agriculture, youth development, natural resources, and community development has continued to grow over the past decade.
A number of NIFA programs have a sustainable dimension indirectly, if not overtly, and therefore involve a variety of NIFA national program staff who provide leadership for sustainability within their program and discipline areas.
NIFA national program staff participate in a number of U.S. Government, USDA, and NIFA activities related to sustainability such as the USDA Council on Sustainable Development, State Department Partnerships, and an internal working group—NIFA Science for Sustainability Working Group.
The NIFA Science for Sustainability Working Group is made up of national program staff from across NIFA. It works to:
- expand the research and development agenda about sustainability,
- strengthen the infrastructure and capacity for conducting and applying science to sustainability, and
- connect science and policy to effectively pursue a transition toward sustainability.