Global Food and Nutrition Security Projects:
A Latin America Regional Collaborative Network for Monitoring New and Emerging Animal and Plan Pest and Diseases
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Jamaica / Caribbean
Objectives: 1. Locate and map disaster and vulnerable areas and how the disaster is being responded to or mitigated. 2. Track urban/rural change of disaster impacts by identifying visible changes in residential areas. 3. Review zoning policies and regulations on the use of marginal lands for cooperative agriculture, urban gardening, and settlement for immediate response during disaster events. 4. Develop a dashboard using geospatial data collected from the above three objectives, which will show disaster-affected locations, infrastructure, open land, and farmlands to formulate disaster response plans.
Addressing Food Insecurity and Poverty through Increased Productivity and Trade: A Pilot Project in Northern Ghana
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Ghana; West/Central Africa
Objectives: 1. Develop a robust integrated crop and livestock production systems to increase yields. 2. Identify major constraints including inefficient transportation, sources of finance, and trade barriers contributing to un-competitiveness in the int’l marketplace
3. Engage partners to create networks in the value chains for local markets conducive to agriculture-led economic growth and healthy communities.
Addressing Global Food Security Challenges through Partnerships and Local Community Engagement
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Kenya; East/Southern Africa
Objectives: 1. Develop and promote the utilization of high-quality value-added mango fruit, mung beans, and suitable local vegetables to improve food and human nutrition security in Kenya; 2. Apply innovations in genetic improvement of mainstream and orphan crops and assess the socioeconomic impact of fall armyworm and striga weed on maize production; 3. Investigate the prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and genetic diversity of food- and water-borne pathogens using emerging techniques for food safety and security; and 4. Apply integrated practices to reduce impact of gastrointestinal parasites on small ruminant farms.
An Integrated Approach to Strengthening Global Food Security and Nutrition for Health and Well-Being: A School Lunch Program Model
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Ghana; East/Southern Africa
Objectives: 1. Assess the food insecurity index in relationship to food-based dietary guidelines; 2. Develop an 1890 consortium of multidisciplinary seminar/course in global food security and nutrition; 3. Evaluate the existing pillars of food security (availability, accessibility, utilization, stability) for gaps and opportunities; 4. Utilize the institutional consortium, partnerships, and collaborations to recruit students who are globally competent in FANH careers in NIFA
Increasing Global Food Security through Improved Food Safety and Nutrition: A Pilot Project in the Supply Food Chain Ghana
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Ghana; West/Central Africa
Objectives: 1. Identify food-insecure populations in a selected Region in Ghana. 2. Measure the four dimensions of food security, availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. 3. Establish Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) at food establishments to narrow the supply chain from production to consumption to enhance food safety. 4. Enhanced Food Defense Plan to prevent, protect against, and mitigate threats and hazards of greatest risk to the food security.
Nutritional Analysis of Black Eyed Peas for Improvement of Colombian and US Diets and for Global Food Security
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Colombia / Latin America
Objectives: 1. Increasing thematic expertise across 1890 Universities in plant sciences as it relates to food security. 2. Continue a project on global nutritional security with cowpeas in Colombia. 3. Enhance on-going research of TSU. 4. Enable to exchange of technology in a two way direction between USA and Latin America.
Promoting international and local collaboration to optimize sustainable and autonomous fish and plant farming to improve food security
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Colombia / Latin America
Objectives: 1. Develop a pilot Extension program that will provide training in aquaponic production. 2. Evaluate technical and economic feasibility of the aquaponics system with the fish and plants species grown at each institution (UM, KSU and UAPB). 3. Provide a dynamic experiential and cross-cultural learning experiences for up to 13 undergraduate/graduate students and faculty participants in the program. 4. Develop a comprehensive series of Extension fact sheets, available in both Spanish and English, aimed to increase knowledge of the aquaponic system under local conditions, to produce fish and vegetables and improve sustainability and food security in local communities
Sustainable Intensification of Value-added Cowpea Production Innovations to Increase Incomes, Food and Nutritional Security in Crop-Livestock Farming Systems
Project Period: 2020-2023
Country/Region: Ghana; West/Central Africa
Objectives: 1. Evaluate a set of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) options, and maize-cowpea intercropping systems to improve both crop yield and soil fertility. 2. Improve crop-livestock productivity through a synergistic approach that utilizes their by-products in the production cycle. 3. Engage in intensive production of cow-pea based value-added food products to improve household nutrition and health status; and 4. Assist smallholders in developing agro-cooperative associations; and functional, innovative, and technology up-take induced platforms to improve production and access to remunerative markets.
Targeted Research and Extension Interventions for Enhanced Goat Production in Jamaica
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Jamaica / Caribbean
Objectives: 1. Develop resources, tools, and aids for extension agent use in training goat producers and associated businesses; 2. Identify suitable means of determining the nutritional quality of available feedstuffs and promote use of the information with a freely available supplement and diet formulation aid; 3. Characterize current feeding management practices for goats and quantify benefits from use of feedstuff composition information and of a goat nutrient requirement and supplement/diet formulation system
Trans-boundary Research & Extension of Black-Eyed Peas for Food and Nutritional Security Across the New World Diaspora: Benefiting African Americans and Afro-Colombians through 1890s Universities Exchanges with SENA and the National University in Colombia
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Colombia / Latin America
Objectives: 1. Training for 1890 graduate/undergraduate students and faculty in global food security in the context of an important grain legume with research and extension; 2. Development of seed sources and germplasm for the diversification in supply of useful varieties; 3. Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis for targeting crop production and identifying constraints such as plant diseases or insects; and 4. Promotion of food literacy via nutritional quality evaluation for specific varieties and recipe generation for higher cowpea demand.
A Latin America Regional Collaborative Network for Monitoring New and Emerging Animal and Plan Pest and Diseases
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Costa Rica / Latin America
Objectives: 1. Through collaboration and networking, strengthen capacity of participating countries to increase productivity and improve competitiveness, reduce poverty; promote improved techniques for the surveillance of immerging animal and plant diseases by providing training activities in collaboration with USDA-APHIS-IS, and national systems. 2. Provide international experiential learning opportunities for faculty and students in the 1890 system and Latin American students.
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Marikis Alvarez | College of Agriculture, Science and Technology
1890 University Name: Delaware State University
Expected Results: 1. Technology adoption via training workshops in partnership with local extension support increased. 2. Competitiveness for market access, and better understanding of risk-management and monitoring tools for different pest and disease in targeted countries improved. 3. More than 20 students to tropical experiential challenges that affect food safety and trade issues oriented. 4. The curriculum and training programs on international agriculture strengthened.
Accomplishments: NO SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORTED YET
Addressing Food Insecurity and Poverty through Increased Productivity and Trade: A Pilot Project in Northern Ghana
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Ghana; West/Central Africa
Objectives: 1. Develop a robust integrated crop and livestock production systems to increase yields; 2. Identify major constraints including inefficient transportation, sources of finance, and trade barriers contributing to un-competitiveness in the int’l marketplace; 3. Engage partners to create networks in the value chains for local markets conducive to agriculture-led economic growth and healthy communities.
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Osei Yeboah | College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
1890 University Name: North Carolina A&T State University
Partner(s): Virginia State University
Expected Results: 1. Regional or industry income increased. 2. Regional or industry employment increased. 3. The number of associations formed increased. 4. The membership in the grower and trade association increased. 5. The revenues retained and used by the grower and trade associations increased. 5. The number of communities participating in the project increased. 6. The diets, income, health and nutrition improved.
Accomplishments: Explored regional Latin American partnerships that strengthen agricultural development and engage international researchers in addressing new and emerging animal and plant pests and diseases;
Addressing Global Food Security Challenges through Partnerships and Local Community Engagement
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Kenya; East/Southern Africa
Objectives: 1. Develop and promote the utilization of high-quality value-added mango fruit, mung beans, and suitable local vegetables to improve food and human nutrition security in Kenya; 2. Apply innovations in genetic improvement of mainstream and orphan crops and assess the socioeconomic impact of fall armyworm and striga weed on maize production. 3. Investigate the prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and genetic diversity of food- and water-borne pathogens using emerging techniques for food safety and security; and 4. Apply integrated practices to reduce impact of gastrointestinal parasites on small ruminant farms.
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Caleb Nindo | School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences
1890 University Name: University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Partner(s): Virginia State University
Expected Results:
1. New mung bean products developed with good sensory acceptability. Consumption of the products increased and health and nutrition indicators improved in the vulnerable populations.
2. Processing of mangoes innovated leading to (1) high quality nutritious food and feed products; (2) a plan for mango waste conversion into more economical products developed; and (3) profiling chemical/nutritional composition.
3. Genetic improvement of mainstream and orphan crops achieved: Opportunities for securing larger funding and conducting collaborative research to improve local crop species explored by the project team.
4. Capacity in the areas of food safety, security, and water quality through teaching, research and outreach enhanced.
5. Small ruminant farmers trained through UMES extension and research faculty, as well as researchers and educators from VSU, DSU, Fort Valley State University, and the College of Agriculture Science and Education (Portland, Jamaica). 6. About 40-60 farmers trained on how to use the FAMACHA scorecard, anthelmintic choices, nutrition evaluation, and pasture management.
Accomplishments:
Through the partnership at Maseno University in Kenya, several activities have been accomplished: Completed a desk review on “Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of Fall Armyworm and Striga Weed at Three Stages of Maize Value Chains in Kenya” and produced a technical report. Designed baseline survey in Kisumu and Siaya Counties on Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of Fall Armyworm and Striga Weed at Three Stages of Maize Value Chains in Kenya. Trained 7 students for data collection (3 female, 4 male). Collected baseline data from 301 households (179 male and 122 female household heads) in Kisumu and Siaya Counties. Conducted data analysis, visualization and produced a technical report (dataset and technical report shared with UMES. On mung bean work (JKUAT): Bread containing mung bean sprouts was developed. It had good sensory acceptability and better nutritional value than ordinary bread. Two undergraduate students were involved in mung bean study. They learnt methods in food product development, sensory evaluation, microbial analysis and chemical analysis. On mango processing work (JKUAT): One MS student is studying value-added processing of mangoes. Conducted various quality analysis for dried products and physical characterization of the mango fruits.
• Value addition of mango slices using four different treatments (Control, Citric Acid, Preservative SO2, and lemon). This was done with 10 mango farmers representing the 10 mango cooperatives who were
trained as trainers (TOTs).
An Integrated Approach to Strengthening Global Food Security and Nutrition for
Health and Well-Being: A School Lunch Program Model
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Ghana; East/Southern Africa
Objectives: 1. Assess the food insecurity index in relationship to food-based dietary guidelines; 2. Develop an 1890 consortium of multidisciplinary seminar/course in global food security and nutrition; 3. Evaluate the existing pillars of food security (availability, accessibility, utilization, stability) for gaps and opportunities; 4. Utilize the institutional consortium, partnerships, and collaborations to recruit students who are globally competent in FANH careers in NIFA
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Robert K. Zabawa | College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences
1890 University Name: Tuskegee University
Partner(s): Alabama A&M University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Expected Results:
1. The current Ghana Government’s policy of one (I) Village one (1) dam (1 VlD) and planting for food and Job to increase crop yield and availability complemented 2. Demonstrated results in the adaptation of improved seeds, enhance fertilizer usage, pesticide and irrigation management and identification efficient transportation system to move food and produce from farms to local markets, distribution centers and ultimately to various school districts and individual homes, increase acreage in cultivation. 3. Sourcing of produce directly from farms to reduce food cost. (Affordability) achieved.
4. Improved technologies used by farmers will reduce postharvest losses thereby improving farmer’s income. (Stability, Accessibility). 5. Strengthened community farms while consuming fresh produce for students to derive the best nutrients. (Stability)
Accomplishments: NO SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORTED YET
Increasing Global Food Security through Improved Food Safety and Nutrition: A Pilot Project in the Supply Food Chain Ghana
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Ghana; West/Central Africa
Objectives: 1. Identify food-insecure populations in a selected Region in Ghana. 2. Measure the four dimensions of food security, availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. 3. Establish Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) at food establishments to narrow the supply chain from production to consumption to enhance food safety. 4. Enhanced Food Defense Plan to prevent, protect against, and mitigate threats and hazards of greatest risk to the food security.
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Eunice Bonsi | College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences
1890 University Name: Tuskegee University
Expected Results: 1. The awareness of the importance of food safety and defense increased. 2. Food security and public health improved. 3. Food defense plan, with Hazardous Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) in each food enterprise to support food and nutrition security initiated. 4. Minimized point of intentional food adulteration (food defense) and unintentional contamination (food safety) for accessibility to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets dietary needs for active healthy life (food security).
Accomplishments: NO SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORTED YET
Nutritional Analysis of Black Eyed Peas for Improvement of Colombian and US Diets and for Global Food Security
Project Period: 2021-2022
Country/Region: Colombia / Latin America
Objectives: 1. Increasing thematic expertise across 1890 Universities in plant sciences as it relates to food security. 2. Continue a project on global nutritional security with cowpeas in Colombia. 3. Enhance on-going research of TSU. 4. Enable to exchange of technology in a two way direction between USA and Latin America.
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Mathew Blair |
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agriculture
1890 University Name: Tennessee State University
Expected Results: 1. Awareness of cowpeas potential in Latin America and USA increased. 2. The potential impact on higher food security in Colombia and neighboring countries as well as in the USA disseminated. 3. The utilization of cowpea in different dishes of African American and Afro-Colombian cuisines and quality of the overall food supply enhanced.
Accomplishments: NO SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORTED YET
Promoting international and local collaboration to optimize sustainable and autonomous fish and plant farming to improve food security
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Colombia | Latin America
Objectives: 1. Develop a pilot Extension program that will provide training in aquaponic production. 2. Evaluate technical and economic feasibility of the aquaponics system with the fish and plants species grown at each institution (UM, KSU and UAPB). 3. Provide a dynamic experiential and cross-cultural learning experiences for up to 13 undergraduate/graduate students and faculty participants in the program. 4. Develop a comprehensive series of Extension fact sheets, available in both Spanish and English, aimed to increase knowledge of the aquaponic system under local conditions, to produce fish and vegetables and improve sustainability and food security in local communities
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Nicholas Romano | Depart. Aquaculture & Fisheries
1890 University Name: University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Partner(s): Kentucky State University
Expected Results: 1. Faculty and student learning enhanced through exchange activities that contribute to knowledge and skills in aquaponics. 2. Scholarly research documented in the aquaponics field. 3. Extension fact sheets disseminated and accompanied by training and information sessions with interested stakeholders in each project location. 4. Faculty and student knowledge and appreciation of the global dimensions of the aquaponics industry enhanced. 5. Aquaponic techniques that will benefit local communities documented.
Accomplishments: NO SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORTED YET
Sustainable Intensification of Value-added Cowpea Production Innovations to Increase
Incomes, Food and Nutritional Security in Crop-Livestock Farming Systems
Project Period: 2020-2023
Country/Region: Ghana; West/Central Africa
Objectives:
1. Evaluate a set of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) options, and maize-cowpea intercropping systems to improve both crop yield and soil fertility.
2. Improve crop-livestock productivity through a synergistic approach that utilizes their by-products in the production cycle.
3. Engage in intensive production of cow-pea based value-added food products to improve household nutrition and health status; and
4. Assist smallholders in developing agro-cooperative associations; and functional, innovative, and technology up-take induced platforms to improve production and access to remunerative markets.
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Osei-Agyeman Yeboah | College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
1890 University Name: North Carolina A&T State University
Partner(s): Alabama A&M University
Expected Results: 1. Producers’ knowledge and skills in efficient inter-cropping system enhanced. 2. Value chain actors practicing good GAPs and GHPs; and food safety practices increased. 3. Farmers with knowledge and skills in simple and low-cost storage technologies enhanced. 4. Farmers trained to acquire skills in feed and silage preparations. 5. The number of farmers/producers involved in contract farming and or members of a cooperative association increased. 6. The number of farmers receiving price and other essential information in real-lime increased.
Accomplishments: On-farm demonstrations. At the start of cropping season in June 2021, four on-farm demonstrations were established to showcase two best cropping practices that farmers can adopt to increase their crop yields and income. All essential agronomic data are being generated. Additionally, 4 sessions of farmer field schools (FFS) and farmer learning visits were organized for farmers around the project enclave. At the end of 2021 approx. 145 farmers participated in experiential learning visits on best planting practices for maize and cowpea, and demonstration on 4R of fertilizer
Targeted Research and Extension Interventions for Enhanced Goat Production in Jamaica
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Jamaica / Caribbean
Objectives:
1. Develop resources, tools, and aids for extension agent use in training goat producers and associated businesses
2. Identify suitable means of determining the nutritional quality of available feedstuffs and promote use of the information with a freely available supplement and diet formulation aid
3. Characterize current feeding management practices for goats and quantify benefits from use of feedstuff composition information and of a goat nutrient requirement and supplement/diet formulation system
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Arthur Goetsch | School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
1890 University Name: Langston University
Partner(s): Virginia State University
Expected Results:
1. Supplemental videos, and accompanying rubrics addressing unique aspects of goat production in Jamaica developed.
2. Economic returns to goat producers and relevant businesses improved. 3. Post-weaning growth rate of kids and reduced direct and indirect cost of feed per animal increased. 4. Benefit from improved feeding management practices quantified. On-station and on-farm studies .
Accomplishments: Training in use of the Estimating Supplemental Concentrate Needs Calculator (ESCNC) of LINC was provided by personnel of the American Institute for Goat Research (AIGR) of Langston University, with 21 people from Jamaica participating, including Livestock Officers of RADA and faculty, staff, and students of CASE.
Trans-boundary Research & Extension of Black-Eyed Peas for Food and Nutritional
Security Across the New World Diaspora: Benefiting African Americans and Afro-Colombians through 1890s Universities Exchanges with SENA and the National University in Colombia
Project Period: 2021-2023
Country/Region: Colombia | Latin America
Objectives:
1. Training for 1890 graduate/undergraduate students and faculty in global food security in the context of an important grain legume with research and extension;
2. Development of seed sources and germplasm for the diversification in supply of useful varieties;
3. Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis for targeting crop production and identifying constraints such as plant diseases or insects; and
4. Promotion of food literacy via nutritional quality evaluation for specific varieties and recipe generation for higher cowpea demand.
Funding: USDA/NIFA
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Matthew Blair | Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences College of Agriculture
1890 University Name: Tennessee State University
Partner(s): University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Prairie View A&M University
Expected Results:
1. Training provided to MS students (GIS/Env. Sciences) trained at TSU and 1 summer work aid student (Master in Public Health), with emphasis on recruitment of African American and Colombian and female students. 2. More than the 50 genotypes obtained from the USDA in Griffin, GA.
3. A comparative case study and meta- analysis for Shelby county, Tennessee in the USA developed and a parallel study for Valle de Cauca and Cauca in Colombia conducted.
4. Over 25 recipes collected from USA, South America and International sources (Asia/Africa). And, recipe books prepared as 2 booklets for cowpea, one in Spanish and one in English.
Accomplishments: New technologies and or processes introduced to stakeholders were recipe development (25 written up and tested), variety testing (30 sources) and data analysis for 186 raw genotypes. In addition a GIS planning meeting and a New Crops conference for Southeastern Agriculture (March 16-18) as USDA-NIFA-AFRI–A1141 sponsored event was enhanced by the Center of Excellence project with a legume session that included presentations by Dr. Blair for common bean, cowpea, and mung bean based on results of following graduate students: Ms. Maia Payne and Ms. Sharla Scantling as well as Mr. Josh Relyea (M.S. candidates), Mr. Max Miller (PhD candidate) and Dr. Daniel Ambachew (graduated PhD).
