Nutrition and Food Systems

Importance of Nutrition & Food Systems

Improving the health of everyone in this country, across all life stages, will require a better understanding of the complex causes and corresponding solutions of diet-related diseases and disparities. The most effective solutions will also address the interrelated challenges of food and nutrition security.

NIFA’s Impact

NIFA recognizes nutrition as a cost-effective approach to address many issues faced around the world today. NIFA works to ensure a safe, nutritious and secure food supply while also developing and delivering evidence-based nutrition education and promotion to prevent chronic diseases, improve health and prioritize nutrition. NIFA partners with the Land-grant University System and government, private and nonprofit organizations to support science. Our agency also invests in developing agricultural scientists across all stages of professional development to use an integrated approach to prioritizing nutrition and ensuring stable agricultural systems through research, education and Extension. NIFA invests more than $220 million in research, education, Extension and innovation to advance food and nutrition. Several of these efforts integrate with NIFA’s investments in reducing weather-related risks and impacts, as well as improve community and national resilience. 

Key NIFA Programs 

• Rapid Response to Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712)
• Strengthening Agricultural Systems (SAS) (A9201 and A9231)

Other Relevant NIFA AFRI Programs 

• Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
  • Foundational and Applied Science Program
    • Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health (FSNH) program area
      • A1332 Food Safety and Defense
      • A1343 Food and Human Health
      • A1344 Diet, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases
      • A1366 Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain
      • A1364 Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies
  • Crosscutting Programs
    • A1181 Agricultural Biosecurity
    • A1402 Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources
    • A1511 Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems
    • A1541 Data Science for Food and Agricultural Systems (DSFAS)
    • A1701 Critical Agricultural Research and Extension (CARE)
    • A1712 Rapid Response to Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems
    • A1713 Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems
    • A1811 Commodity Board Co-Funding Topics
  • Education and Workforce Development
    • A7101 Predoctoral Fellowships
    • A7201 Postdoctoral Fellowships
    • A7401 Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates
    • A7501 Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy
    • A7601 Agricultural Workforce Training Grants
    • A7801 Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education 

Relevant Non-AFRI Programs

• 4-H Youth Development Program
• 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program
• Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNH) Competitive Education Grants Program
• Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)
• Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program
• Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Competitive Grants Program (AgVets)
• Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program
• Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP)
• Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)
• Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program (HSI)
• Master Gardener Program, as well as Master Health and Master Food Preserver Programs
• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE)
• Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
• Regional Rural Development Centers
• Resident Instruction Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA) Programs
• Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program
• Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transform Programs (SBIR/STTR)
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program Regional Host Institution
• Tribal Colleges Extension Grant Program

Relevant NIFA Topic Pages

• Advanced Food Manufacturing
• Community Nutrition
• Food and Nutrition Security
• Food Loss and Waste
• Food Products
• Food Safety
• Local and Regional Food Systems
• Nutrition Education
• Prevention of Diet-Related Diseases and Disparities
• The Science of Food

 Consumer Resources – Nutrition.gov is a USDA-sponsored website that offers credible information to help you make healthful eating choices. 

Nutrition Professional Resources - The USDA National Agricultural Library’s Food and Nutrition Information Center provides the food and nutrition professional community access to a wide range of trustworthy food and nutrition resources from both government and non-government sources. Another USDA National Agricultural Library resource is the Historical Dietary Guidance Digital Collection.