The Strategic Plan of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), issued in September 1997, describes the current international food and agricultural research mandate of the U.S. Government for developing and transitional countries. American agricultural scientists and economists of the Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSPs) train and mentor scientists and economists in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe and conduct collaborative research with scientists and economists on these continents to improve the production and utilization of agricultural and animal products (terrestrial and aquatic) in both the United States and developing countries. As indicated in the CRSP logo, CRSP collaborative research is in the areas of natural resources, plants, people, aquatics, and livestock.

The following policies describing the U.S. Government's international food and agricultural research mandate are the strategic, foreign-policy basis for the CRSPs. These U.S. Government policies, verbatim from USAID's current Strategic Plan, clearly describe the necessarily long-term mandate for the training, mentoring, and collaborative research support provided by USAID's Collaborative Research Support Programs: Promoting sustainable development among developing and transitional countries contributes to U.S. national interests and is a necessary and critical component of America's role as a world leader. It helps reduce the threat of crisis and create the conditions for economic growth, the expansion of democracy and social justice and a protected environment.

USAID expects its activities to encourage stability rather than crisis, convert poverty to prosperity, and open closed economies and societies. . . USAID acknowledges its success depends on working effectively with its partners, including the governments of developing and transitional countries; U.S. public, private and voluntary organizations; and other assistance organizations.

USAID has defined its major functions and operations in terms of sustainable development; i.e.,actions that lead to a lasting increase in the capacity of a society to improve the quality of life of its people. This is the fundamental mission of USAID and, although it manages a variety of resources responding to U.S. national interests, it does so with an emphasis on activities that contribute to sustainable development at the community, national, regional, and global level.

Through its collaborative relationships with host governments, other donors, and a broad array of U.S. and local non-governmental actors, USAID will be able to influence results significantly.

Regarding USAID's Goal No. 1: "Broad-based economic growth and agricultural development encouraged, " the following policies of USAID's current Strategic Plan, verbatim, present more specific reasons for the long-term, Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSPs):

Broad-based, equitable economic growth is the most effective means of bringing poor, disadvantaged and marginalized groups into the mainstream of an expanding economy. The keys to broad-based growth and reduced poverty are expanded human capacity through education and training, a policy environment that promotes efficiency and economic opportunity for all members of society, soundly organized and managed institutions and good governance.

The majority of people in the poorest countries derive their livelihoods from agriculture. Therefore, in most of the least developed countries, the transformation of agriculture and food systems is an essential aspect of broad-based economic growth. The shift from subsistence agriculture to producing for off farm markets and consumers contributes to a more prosperous rural environment, additional opportunities for employment and economic progress throughout the economy and reduced food insecurity.

Women play a central role in broad based economic growth and agricultural development. In addition to their direct contribution to agricultural production and income generation, women contribute to economic growth indirectly through their household maintenance and child rearing roles.

U.S. NATIONAL INTEREST:
Economic Prosperity: Americans benefit as the economies of transitional and developing nations become more open and market-oriented and expand. This also helps reduce widespread and extreme poverty and lack of economic opportunity, which contribute to political instability and exacerbate global and transnational problems, such as rapid population growth, the spread of infectious and communicable diseases, drug trafficking, and accelerated environmental degradation. USAID coordinates its economic growth and agricultural development programs with the Departments of Agriculture, Justice, State, and Treasury.

USAID OBJECTIVES:
Critical private markets expanded and strengthened.
More rapid and enhanced agricultural development and food security encouraged.  Access to economic opportunity for the rural and urban poor expanded and made more equitable.

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