This program area priority will support projects that provide effective, translatable, and scalable approaches to address climate change through regional partnerships including the USDA Climate Hubs and extension (e.g., the Cooperative Extension Service). The USDA Climate Hubs develop and deliver science-based, region-specific information and technologies, with USDA agencies and partners, to agricultural and natural resource managers that enable climate- informed decision-making and provide access to assistance to implement those decisions.
The regional partnerships should work towards one or more of the following long-term socio- economic impacts: 1) net-zero emissions agriculture; 2) working lands adapted to climate change; 3) a diverse workforce that can effectively communicate about climate change with a variety of stakeholders and can incorporate climate considerations into managing working lands; and 4) climate justice including equity in opportunities and burden-sharing.
Projects must meet the needs of one or more USDA Climate Hub regions. Some broad emphasis areas to be supported by this program area priority include, but are not limited to:
Innovative methods of collecting input from stakeholders on their needs, priorities, preferred methods of learning, and avenues for effective messaging;
Human-centered, participatory program design;
Formal education courses at the associate, undergraduate and/or graduate levels with extension service-learning fieldwork components;
Fellowships to work at USDA Climate Hubs;
Expanding USDA Climate Hub capacity to serve as a “climate clearinghouse” of tools and technologies for region-specific stakeholder needs;
K-12 teacher-training for hands-on learning about climate science and climate-smart agriculture and/or forestry;
training for extension educators in climate science and climate-smart agriculture and/or forestry;
training for public and private-sector technical service providers in climate-smart agriculture and/or forestry practices;
Training on climate-smart food systems, including effects of climate on nutrition security and components of nutrient density, food safety, and food waste;
Targeted programming for underserved and underrepresented groups that considers diverse literacy levels, language skills, and appropriate technologies;
Initiatives to support the Civilian Climate Corps.
