Launching global agricultural education partnership

A group gathered as officials cut the ribbon to launch the Centre for Agricultural Development in the African and Asian Regions in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The Centre, a partnership between Michigan State University Extension and India’s National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management aims to help famers in the regions incorporate best management practices in agriculture while helping MSU Extension educators broaden their view of world issues to bring opportunities home to the United States. Front row from left to right: P. Chandra Shekara, Karim Meredia and Quentin Tyler.

Michigan State University Extension has partnered with India’s National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, or MANAGE, to launch the Centre for Agricultural Development in the African and Asian regions. The Centre will serve as a platform for capacity-building in developing countries, including promoting good agricultural practices to empower farmers and encourage agricultural entrepreneurship and innovations.

Karim Maredia, director of international programs for the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said that Centre will be a game-changer for farmers and agribusinesses in these regions.

“MSU’s goal is to diffuse good management and business practices across the globe,” he said. “Working together with MANAGE, this Centre will help make this goal a reality in the ag sector by offering policy support to promote agricultural development in areas that have sometimes struggled to feed their growing populations.”

Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension, has travelled to India with colleagues twice to continue to expand the initial partnership with MANAGE. He believes the opportunities to address agriculture’s most wicked problems can come from looking at them through a global lens.

“Climate variability, technology, labor and access to markets are universal challenges,” Tyler said. “Bringing diverse minds from different cultures together is helping us lean into our mission of improving individuals, families, businesses, communities and countries through education. Looking at familiar problems in an unfamiliar territory helps us broaden our view. We have learned a lot by looking at how others tackle these issues, and we bring that knowledge home to Michigan to help local farmers.”

A sign marks the home of the new Centre for Agricultural Development in the African and Asian Regions in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The partnership between MSU Extension and India’s National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management is the first of its kind.

P. Chandra Shekara, director general of MANAGE, hosts the Centre in Hyderabad, capitol of the Indian state of Telangana.

“This is a milestone achievement in the partnership journey of MANAGE and MSU Extension,” he said. “We envision that this Centre will address the challenges of smallholder farmers in developing countries with global expertise.”

“We’re proud of Michigan State University’s status as a historical leader in agricultural research and Extension — and the farmers in India are forging new paths forward in cutting-edge agritech,” said Kelly Millenbah, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at MSU. “I’m excited to see what we can learn from one another.”

MSU Extension is the outreach arm of Michigan State University. With more than 600 professionals throughout the state, the organization helps address critical issues, needs and opportunities by delivering the vast knowledge resources of MSU directly to individuals, communities and businesses.

This story was originally featured on the MSU Extension website.