Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomes a grant of $170,963 for the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
The NIFA Grant is to strengthen food and agricultural science education and funding is through NIFA’s Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA).
The funds will assist the American Samoa Community College’s Agriculture, Community, and Natural Resources (ACNR) instructional program. RIIA funding has enabled ASCC’s ACNR program to take immediate steps and develop long-term measures. Among these advances, there are now three full-time instructors, with increases in enrollments, number of ACNR graduates, students receiving scholarships and stipends, and students participating in experiential learning programs.
“Congratulations to ASCC for this federal funding, and the good work they’ve done on this project,” said Aumua Amata. “These funds will benefit the college’s food and agriculture science studies. Thank you to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and NIFA Acting Director Dr. Parag Chitnis.”
