About Us

PURPOSE

The Center of Excellence for Global Food Security and Defense (CEGFSD) is one of six centers of excellence at 1890 universities identified in the 2018 Farm Bill. The Center is supported with funds from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). CEGFSD builds on the work initiated through the 1890 Universities Center of Excellence for International Engagement and Development (CEIED), which was one of three Anniversary Centers of Excellence established by the USDA/1890 Taskforce to commemorate the 125^th Anniversary of the signing of the Second Morrill Act of 1890. The Center focuses on implementing projects designed to supply the country with a globally educated workforce and address critical needs in the area of global food security and defense. The Center fosters international partnerships that strengthen agricultural development in developing countries; addresses new and emerging animal and plant pests and diseases; and addresses agricultural disaster recovery. While the Center is hosted at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), it serves all nineteen (19) 1890 institutions.

GOALS

The CEGFSD, leverages expertise from across the 1890 land-grant universities to foster international partnerships that strengthen agricultural development in developing countries; address emerging animal and plant pests and diseases; and addresses challenges with agricultural disaster recovery.

CEGFSD aspires to be a national model for advancing the long-term prosperity of the U.S. through global food security and defense initiatives in collaboration with international partners by addressing eight interlinked priorities including (1) Agricultural productivity; (2) Reduction of global poverty; (3) Enhancement of global food supply chains; (4) Improving food safety; (5) Impacts of trade on food availability, access, use and stability; (6) Advancement of long-term prosperity of the U.S. through global food security and defense initiatives; (7) Global climate change; and (8) Emerging technologies

BROAD GOALS

Strengthen Agricultural Development in Developing Countries;

Address New and Emerging Animal, and Plant Pests and Diseases;

Engage in Agricultural Disaster Recovery; and

Continue Existing CEIED Activities: Food and Nutrition Security and Global Education initiatives.

Additionally, Emerging technologies as a cross-cutting Theme.

Team

The CEGFSD’s management structure is made up of four key governance entities: a governing board, an executive committee, a core administration, and an advisory council. The core administrative function is implemented by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in conjunction with the 1890 Universities Foundation. The governing board is made up of representatives from the 19 participating 1890 land-grant universities. It ensures fair representation of each member institution and a free flow of information. An executive committee consisting of PDs and Co-PDs is responsible for overall decision-making, strategy, prioritization, and evaluation of the Center’s activities. The core administration comprising a Center director, associate director, and a program coordinator is responsible for general administrative and financial management. The external advisory council is responsible for providing recommendations to the governing board on the Center’s strategic direction and implementation of project activities.

Governance Board

Name	University
Dr. Dovi Alipoe	Alcorn State University
Dr. Marikis Alvarez	Delaware State University
Dr. Matthew Blair	Tennessee State University
Dr. Eunice Bonsi	Tuskegee University
Dr. Lamin Drammeh	South Carolina State University
Dr. Noel Estwick	Prairie View A&M University
Dr. Buddhi Gyawali	Kentucky State University
Dr. Arthur Goetsch	Langston University
Dr. Brou Kouakou	Fort Valley State University
Dr. Pamela Moore	University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Dr. Caleb Nindo	University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Ms. Harriett Paul	Florida A&M University
Dr. Ayesha Sarker	West Virginia State University
Dr. Zachary Senwo	Alabama A&M University
Dr. Shobha Sriharan	Virginia State University
Dr. Subramania Sritharan	Central State University
Dr. Calvin Walker	Southern University
Dr. John Yang	Lincoln University

Executive Committee

Name	University
Dr. Moses Kairo, Director	University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Dr. Stephan Tubene, Associate Director	University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Dr. Dovi Alipoe	Alcorn State University
Dr. Marikis Alvarez	Delaware State University
Dr. Matthew Blair	Tennessee State University
Dr. Eunice Bonsi	Tuskegee University
Dr. Michelle Corley	Central State University
Ms. Harriet Paul	Florida A&M University
Dr. Jose Ulises Toledo	Southern University
Dr. Osei Yeboah	North Carolina A&T State University

Advisory Council

Name	Title / Organization
Dr. Sunday Ekesi	Director of Research and Partnerships / International Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology ICIPE
Dr. Albert Essel	Executive Administrator / Association of Extension Administrators AEA
Ms. Sylvia Megret	President and Chief Operating Director / Agriculture Cooperative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance ACDI- VOCA
Dr. Francisco Mello	Manager, Center of Knowledge Management and Horizontal Cooperation / Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture IICA
Mr. Bryan Norrington	Director / Office of International Research Engagement and Cooperation USA-OIREG
Dr. Julie Shortridge	Assistant Professor, Extension Specialist / Virginia Tech
Dr. Alton Thompson	Executive Director / Association of 1890 Research Directors ARD
Ms. Beattra Wilson	Assistant Director, Urban and Community Forestry / USDA Forest Service USDA