The U.S. Agency for International Development plans to invest a total of $5 million in 25 research projects across 15 USAID partner countries.
USAID said Thursday the 25 new programs are funded under the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research initiative, which supports researchers in developing countries that work with U.S. government-backed researchers to address issues such as water security and child health.
The 25 projects include a field test technology designed to identify lead levels in soil at mining and battery-recycling sites in Peru; an unmanned aerial vehicle that will work to provide land management support in Mali’s national parks; and the use of genetic data to aid Indonesia’s fisheries management and conservation activities.
PEER is managed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine and involves 10 federal agencies, including USAID, NASA, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others.
The latest round of PEER funding represents the sixth cycle of the program and will be followed by another call for pre-proposals in early October.
