CEGFSD

Center of Excellence for Global Food Security and Defense

The Center of Excellence for Global Food Security and Defense (CEGFSD), established in 2020, leverages the collective capacity of all nineteen 1890 land-grant universities across 18 states to carry out work that supports U.S. national priorities.

This includes boosting U.S. agricultural trade, improving economic growth and prosperity of rural communities through increased agricultural exports and expansion of rural employment, and safeguarding the U.S. against pests and diseases while fulfilling the nation’s needs for a globally competent workforce.

The Center is hosted at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and serves all nineteen 1890 land-grant institutions. It is one of six Centers of Excellence at 1890 universities identified in the 2018 Farm Bill. The Center is supported with funds from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The Center’s work not only reinforces domestic economic growth but also supports national security by building strong food systems and securing America’s leadership in global agriculture through education, research and outreach.

CEGFSD builds on the work initiated through the 1890 Universities Center of Excellence for International Engagement and Development (CEIED), which was one of three Centers of Excellence established by the USDA/1890 Taskforce to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the signing of the Second Morrill Act of 1890. 

What We Do

The Center implements projects designed to supply the country with a globally educated workforce and address global food security and defense’s critical needs.

It fosters international partnerships that address new and emerging animal and plant pests and diseases; address agricultural disaster recovery; and increase the supply of a globally trained workforce in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences (FANHS) across the 1890 universities.

CEGFSD aspires to be a national model for advancing the long-term prosperity of the U.S. through global food security and defense initiatives through collaborative partnerships between nineteen 1890 land-grant universities, the 1890 Universities Foundation, and international public and private sector partners by addressing five interlinked priorities, including:

• Improvement of agricultural productivity
• Enhancement of global food supply chains
• Improvement of food safety
• Impacts of trade on food availability, access, use and stability
• Emerging technologies

Our Projects

Agricultural Productivity

Agricultural Disaster Recovery 

Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases

Global Education

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Where We Work

The CEGFSD engages faculty in teaching, research, Extension, and integrated projects designed to address global food security and defense challenges. Supporting economic growth and stability overseas, especially in some of the fastest-growing African countries, will lead to the creation of markets for U.S. agricultural products along the value chains, with the potential of impacting rural prosperity in the United States. Domestic and international scientists will strengthen collaborative research and Extension activities and address transboundary challenges. This will strengthen the capacity of both domestic and international institutions, including universities, research centers, and governmental organizations. All nineteen 1890 universities participate in the Center’s activities.  The representative faculty submit projects in support of the Center’s goals and priorities. These core collaborators play a significant leadership role in following the Center’s broad goals. 

CEGFSD Partners

This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Centers of Excellence at 1890 institutions, CEIED Award 2020-38427-31514, CEGFSD Award 2021-38427-34838 and CEGFSD Award 2024-38427-43458.