The fourth annual Disaster, Preparedness, Response, Innovation, Mitigation, Recovery (PRIMR) conference was hosted Feb. 26-28, 2024, by the USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and the Bush School of Government and Public Service. The conference brought together voices from academia, other stakeholders and international partners, and provided a platform to share ideas, approaches, best practices, and new innovations and solve problems.
Gianna Sorola, a senior Animal and Food Science College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) undergraduate researcher at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), presented a poster titled, “An Assessment of Technology Adaptation by Farmers in Jamaica.” The project is a collaboration with Dr. Derrick Deslandes of the College of Agriculture, Science, and Education (CASE) in Portland, Jamaica.
The project’s overall goal is to enhance resiliency to agricultural disasters in Jamaica. Conducted under the Caribbean cluster of the 1890 Center of Excellence for Global Food Security and Defense (CEGFSD), an anticipated project outcome is to increase a globally educated agricultural workforce. Therefore, these cluster projects aim to expose undergraduate students to research opportunities.
Since graduating in May 2024, Sorola is pursuing her master’s degree in natural resources and environmental science at the CAFNR within PVAMU. She has learned to work independently and be more analytical as an undergraduate researcher. She has also participated in conferences and professional meetings.
“Working under Dr. Estwick has opened my eyes to many possibilities I could not have imagined,” Sorola said. “He has pushed me to be a better student and become more active in the university, as well as pushing myself beyond my imagination.”
The other 1890 institutions with active projects in the Caribbean cluster are Langston University, Kentucky State University and Central State University. PVAMU is the cluster’s lead institution. The PVAMU project team comprises Dr. Noel M. Estwick, PI; Dr. Peter Ampim; and Dr. Sharon McWhinney. The team has conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews in Jamaica as part of the research process to gain insight into the use of technology in agricultural practices and gain producers’ perceptions of the utility of farm disaster management plans.
USDA-NIFA funds the project through the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and the 1890 Universities CEGFSD.
