Recipient Organization
SEEDS INSTITUTE
1162 BRIGHT CT
CHARLESTON,SC 29412
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Purpose and Rationale: Synchronize industry, academia, U.S. Government, and impacted communities to identify, prioritize, fund, and execute strategic and operational campaigns to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF). According to the Presidentially signed White House Memorandum published on June 27, 2022, IUUF significantly contributes to the collapse of global fisheries, which are "critical to the economic growth, food systems, and ecosystems of numerous countries around the world." IUUF "undermines U.S. competitiveness, national security, fisheries sustainability, the livelihoods and human rights of fishers around the world and will exacerbate the environmental and socioeconomic effects of climate change."To address these challenges, the President directs agencies to use the full range of existing conservation, labor, trade, economic, diplomatic, law enforcement, and national security authorities. The Sustainable Economic and Education Development Solutions (SEEDS) Institute's IUUF Innovation Engine will support the President's guidance by establishing a center of excellence to overcome regional, national, and international security, socioeconomic, and industry challenges and co-create solutions for emerging markets and contested environments.SEEDS Institute Background: SEEDS Institute is a recently incorporated and tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)3 with the mission to address key whole-of-nation, interagency strategic areas of focus, including supply chain security, food security, critical minerals and natural resources, energy, environment, and digital solutions, while promoting and accelerating sustainability, innovation, and economic development opportunities in disadvantaged communities at home and abroad. SEEDS is committed to the following tenets:Addressing global competitiveness in strategic priority areas for the U.S. and globally with partner nations in AfricaCommitment to DEIA and to bringing opportunity, education and upskilling to disadvantaged communities and populations.Dedication to the advancement of innovation in bio-based, sustainable solutions to increase competitiveness, advance economic development, and preserve scarce natural resourcesPursuit of opportunities for strategic advantage in emerging or re-emerging industriesSEEDS engagement model is based on public-private-academia partnerships to identify and address critical needs for innovation and execute collaboratively to solve problems. The figure below describes the SEEDS ecosystem, organizational structure, and leadership and partner network.While SEEDS Institute was recently codified as an entity, the SEEDS initiative and the consortium being developed is more than two years in the making. Since SEEDS informal inception in Spring of 2021, the group has hosted four (4) large-scale events at Northern Arizona University, the University of South Carolina (twice), and most recently, North Carolina State University in February 2022.The February SEEDS Summit at N.C. State University convened 75 interested individuals representing dozens of Federal agencies, private industry, and universities seeking to understand what is being done to address food insecurity in the U.S and across the globe. Based on the information shared and relationships built during that meeting, the group collectively mobilized to identify targeted strategies to address food insecurity through focusing our efforts on seafood security, food supply chains, and IUUF.Through follow-on efforts born out of the outcomes and next steps of the NCSU event, SEEDS has formalized support and garnered additional support from new stakeholders, government officials, and like-minded private companies.This progress culminated in a successful meeting on July 29, 2022 with Secretary Vilsack at USDA Headquarters, and our proposed conference is the next step in developing our whole-of-nation approach to providing solutions to current IUUF issues, mitigating future threats, and addressing U.S. seafood competitiveness and supply chain security.Conference Location: Mississippi State University, Starkville, MSProposed Number of Attendees: 50-75Key Personnel Profiles: Dr. Antonio Boyle, Delaware State University - Dr. Boyle represents Delaware State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources - Department of Fisheries Management and has very close relationships with all of the 1890 and 1862 land grant universities, representing a network of more than 3000 scientists. Two key researchers for DESU - and attendees to the conference - will be Professors Gulnihal Osbay, Ph.D, in fisheries and aquaculture and Dwayne Fox, Ph.D. - fisheries and aquatic systems.Dr. Shane Warren, Mississippi State University - Dr. Warren is Deputy Director of the MSU International Institute, which works closely with the MSU's Global Center for Aquatic Security and USAID funded Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish. Dr. Mark Lawrence is head of that Lab and will attend the conference as well. We can provide names of other supporting individuals at MSU as needed and will include as part of the team in the proposal.Dr. David Ellis, Ellis Analytics, Inc. - Dr. Ellis leads the applied research program at the Joint Special Operations University in Tampa and has focused on IUUF for years. Dr. Ellis is also closely connected with the University of Rhode Island Coastal Lab, who we will invite to the conference as wellJarvis Green and Dee Carrington, Oceans 97, LLC - Mr. Green and Ms. Carringtonare principals in a vertically integrated seafood harvest, processing, and distribution company called Oceans 97 and is deeply tied to East Coast and Gulf fisheries and fish processors and associations like the Audubon Institute and Shrimp Processors of America. One of his aquaculture mentors is Dr. Jen Bender, Ph D. from University of Massachusetts - Lowell, who will be invited to the event. Jarvis and his team are also coordinating SEEDS IUUF efforts in Somaliland and Nigeria on the private industry side.Dr. Ubong Udoyen, One2One TeleHealth - Dr. Udoyen is a key stakeholder in a strategic SEEDS fisheries innovation and acceleration project in southern Nigeria and is closely connected with state government partners there in addition to the local fisheries community. Dr. Udoyen is an Assistant Professor at Yale University.Administrator Allen Thomas, U.S. Small Business Administration - Mr. Thomas is Region IV Administrator for SBA and has deep reach into the Eastern NC and Southeastern fisheries industries, aquaculture and agricultural communities, as well as local and state government entities, including the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources.Dr. Neset Hikmet, University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing, Tom's Creek Family Farms - Dr. Hikmetowns and operates a 170 acre aquaponics and agricultural farm in South Carolina and is an applied science technologist who develops innovative data measurement, monitoring, and capture methodologies for agricultural solutions.Morris Fish Farmsis another collaborating entity situated in Eastern North Carolina who will be instrumental in piloting and full-scale rollout of aquaculture innovationsIn addition to the above,other members of our teambring insights on the digital innovation, supply chain optimization and illumination, retail/wholesale commercialization and marketing side, as well as education and outreach both domestically and internationally
Animal Health Component
34%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
33%
Applied
34%
Developmental
33%
Goals / Objectives
The proposed Aquaculture and Aquaponics conference will emphasize the need for international and interagency cooperation, collaborative innovation, and data transparency to address seafood security, food security, associated agricultural opportunities and threats, and opportunities for innovation and partner ecosystems. Direct outcomes of the proposed conference will be an after action report, and direct objectives for the conference include the following:1)Identify and triage the highest priority problem sets;2) Scope multidimensional solutions and desired end states;3) Draft a roadmap for prioritized approaches;4) Identify anchor projects and team commitments;5) Cultivate integrated, multidisciplinary teams;6) Establish Marketing Strategy;7) Identify Funding Goals and Vehicles;8) Develop a Conference Whitepaper to include findings, policy recommendations, and a program roadmap, including planning for Seed, Standard, Strengthening Standard, or New Investigator grants funding through NIFA AFRI Foundations and Applied Science@font-face{panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.2pt;margin-left:.5pt;text-indent:-.5pt;line-height:110%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;;mso-bidi-;mso-fareast-}p.Default, li.Default, div.Default{mso-style-name:Default;mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-parent:"";margin:0in;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;;mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}.MsoChpDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;mso-default-props:yes;;mso-ansi-;mso-bidi-;mso-ascii-mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}.MsoPapDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:107%;}div.WordSection1{page:WordSection1;}
Project Methods
Approach: The SEEDS Innovation Engine Conference will consider global economic interests, climate change, sustainability, emerging technology, education, and outreach to counter IUUF. More specifically, the team will work closely with USAID, Special Operations Command Africa, Joint Special Operations University, United States Army Special Operations Command through network expansion, information sharing, and applied research. The conference format will combine plenary educational sessions with collaborative roundtable breakouts to activate designated workgroups assigned to critical areas of need, opportunity, and applied research. The breakout sessions will have targeted outcomes with defined strategies, roadmaps, and plans of action and milestones to align work streams.Proposed Meeting Agenda: The following represent the high-level panels/topic areas to be discussed. This agenda will be refined over time, as attendees are confirmed and planning sessions completed.Day 1:Introductions & Overview: SEEDS Institute (Porter)Keynote Address (Dr. Kenneth Riley, NOAA Chief Science Officer, NOAA Fisheries)Overview of SEEDS Seafood Security Key Missions Areas - Current State of Practice:Aquaculture/Maraculture/ AquaponicsWild Caught FisheriesProcessing, Distribution, and Value-AddDigital Seafood Supply Chain TechnologiesIllegal, Unreported & Unregulated Fishing: Threats and Opportunities (Panel)U.S. Special Operations CommandU.S. Army Special Operations CommandJoint Special Operations UniversityUniversity of Rhode Island Coastal LabFood Security and Stability OperationsJoint Special Operations UniversitySOCOM Civil Affairs (38 GOLF)Policy and Governance (Panel)NOAAUSDAUSAIDDoDAquaculture Innovations and Applied Science (Panel)University of IdahoMississippi State UniversityMorris Fish FarmsMariculture and the Future of Ocean Farming and Wild-Caught FisheriesNOAARed's BestOceans 97Blue Economy Ecosystems and Supply ChainsIBMUniversity of Rhode IslandWalton FoundationDigital Innovations in Seafood Supply Chain Security (Panel)IBM CorporationNorthern Arizona UniversityPriority 5 HoldingsEsaiyoWorkforce Development and Extension Aquaculture (Panel)Fresno State Global Agriculture and Food Security Initiative (ADAPT)Craven County (NC) School District K-12 Vocational ProgrammingSouth Carolina State University 1890 Agricultural ExtensionUniversity of Hawai'I NEXTGEN USDA Workforce Development ProgramFunding Opportunities and the Intersection Between Public and Private Funding (Panel)Walton Family FoundationMoody'sEquitas GroupUSAIDDevelopmental Finance CorporationDay 2: Working GroupsSESSION 1: IUUF Threat Intervention Methodologies, Efficacy, and Understanding Socioeconomic ImplicationsSESSION 2: Development of Region-Specific Workforce Development ProgrammingSESSION 3: Domestic U.S. and International Partner Ecosystem Development and Project PrioritizationSESSION 4: Trusted Capital and IUUFSESSION 5: Sustainable and ClimateSmart Development in Oceans and Land-Based AquacultureAfter Action Review and Next StepsWhite PaperSeafood Security RoadmapFunding Sources and Timeline