The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $1.5 million to Texas A&M University and the University of Missouri to establish school-based programmes in Ghana, Guatemala, and Mexico through the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Programme.
The International Agricultural Education Fellowship Programme, or IAEFP, established in 2018, provides fellowships to eligible U.S. citizens to help developing countries establish school-based agricultural education and youth extension programmes.
The universities will collaborate with local institutions and organizations to support the selected fellows in their efforts.
The fellowships in Ghana and Guatemala are sponsored by Texas A&M University, which launched the inaugural IAEFP in Ghana in 2021.
In Guatemala, Texas A&M University will partner Humanitas for the duration of the fellowship programme.
In Ghana, the university will partner Global, 4-H Ghana, Vivayic Learning Solutions, and Argicorps.
Nine fellows in each country will produce programmes with four components: classroom instruction, school demonstration farm, home entrepreneurship projects, and leadership development.
The University of Missouri’s fellowship in Mexico will focus on positive youth development and agricultural extension activities to raise awareness and education about sustainable agricultural production.
The eight participating fellows will collaborate with Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla to initiate the programme.
“I am excited for FAS to work with these universities to strengthen international communities,” FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley said.
“IAEFP is a great opportunity for students to gain teaching and agricultural experience by living abroad while also creating stronger relationships between the U.S. agricultural industries and their host countries.”
