The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an investment of $30.8 million as part of its commitment to all 19 of America’s designated 1890 historically black Land-grant Universities. This investment, made through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program will support scientific research that addresses some of our nation’s toughest agricultural challenges.

The investments made through this program will build 1890s' capacity for teaching, research and Extension activities including curriculum design, faculty development, student recruitment and retention, fundamental or applied research enhancement, and Extension program development. Activities supported address key problems of national, regional and community importance in sustaining all components of agriculture including farm profitability and entrepreneurship, human nutrition, food safety, breeding, biotechnology and more.

Projects with a specific aquaculture focus can be accessed through these hot linked titles:

• Practical Methods for Enhancing Productivity, Sustainability, and Profitability of Marine Aquaculture Systems to Grow Health Food – Kentucky State University

• DE Shellfish Aquaculture: K-12 Training to Support an Emerging Industry – Delaware State University

• Stress Memory as a Potential Strategy to Mitigate the Adverse Effects of Elevated Ammonia, Hypoxia and Water-Borne Iron in Catfish Aquaculture – University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff

Across NIFA’s portfolio (competitive and capacity), NIFA invested $528 million in FY 2023 in 1890 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), non-LGU HBCU, Insular LGU, the HBCU University of the District of Columbia, Hispanic-serving Institutions and 1994 LGU Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities. The total investment made to 1890 LGUs in FY 2023 was $353.3 million.

These institutions can be found online by visiting the interactive Land-grant University map.