Project Number: 1930-31000-009-06
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Oct 15, 2009
End Date: Oct 15, 2014

Objective:
In order to foster academic-scientific relationship between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Agrarian University La Molina (UNALM), the two institutions have agreed upon the following programs based upon principles of mutual equality and reciprocity of benefits. The objective of this agreement is to encourage international academic-scientific cooperation through research and training activities with graduate students and lecturers of the National Agrarian University La Molina, as well as the participation of scientists from USDA. The main field of interest is aquaculture and the genetic improvement of commercial traits in rainbow trout, developed at the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture (USDA/ARS), including growth, meat yield and quality, and resistance to major bacterial and viral diseases using molecular breeding tools.

Approach:
This agreement may be applied to any appropriate academic and scientific field at either institution, subject to the prior approval of the administration of the host institution. Training and research emphases include applied genetics and breeding, integrated aquatic animal health, aquaculture engineering, nutrition, physiology, culture and management, and product quality. The focus of the research programs is cool and cold water aquaculture species. Specific scopes are: • To foster the Master of Science Programme at the UNALM, through the scientific training of aquaculture graduate students in the USA. To share USDA/ARS/NCCCWA research expertise in the genetics and genomics of rainbow trout. • To improve the academic and scientific level of the UNALM Aquaculture graduate studies through scientific visits to the La Molina campus, and by presenting an annual scientific seminar in Peru. • To perform field tests on rainbow trout breeding triploid germplasm developed by USDA/ARS/NCCCWA at the Instituto Regional Sierra, Mantaro Valley. • The UNALM Graduate Program in Aquaculture offers to the NCCCWA, all available facilities at the Campus La Molina and Instituto Regional de Sierra, where local trout strains, native species, and any other subject of mutual interest can be tested. The two institutions will cooperate in scientific research. The details of specific research projects will be determined by mutual agreement of both institutions. The form of cooperation may vary with the goal of each project. Arrangements concerning specific details of financial support of visiting scholars, exchange faculty members, exchange students, and others will be made by individual written agreement applicable to each particular situation.