Spanning the Globe
Virginia Cooperative Extension in South AfricaAbout
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| A field of "maize," or corn, in South Africa |
In 1997, Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences established an exchange program with the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The program has provided a significant international experience to dozens of students and faculty members from both institutions. In 2005, the USDA/CSREES International Science and Education Competitive Grants Program funded, "Development of an International Center in South Africa for Studies in Agriculture and Related Life Sciences," a grant to boost the relationship between Virginia Tech and the University of the Free State and expand the opportunities for collaborative research, teaching, outreach, and student exchange activities in southern Africa.
In addition to an effort to revitalize the student exchange program, the grant funds an internship and training program for Virginia Cooperative Extension agents that aims to enhance their capabilities and provide a transfer of knowledge back to Virginia farmers. This program debunks the myth that international exchange programs of this nature are one-sided and do not benefit the U.S. agriculture industry. Jim McKenna, a professor of crop and soil environmental science at Virginia Tech, led the 2006 trip to South Africa. This trip focused on small ruminant animals and dry land pasture management.
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| Last year's participants examine a South African farm |
Mary Ann Hansen, an instructor of plant pathology at Virginia Tech, will lead the 2007 trip to South Africa, which will focus on disease management in agronomic crops. Hansen and her colleagues are especially interested in learning how South African farmers manage Asian soybean rust, a potentially devastating disease that was discovered for the first time in Virginia last fall. South African farmers have been fighting Asian soybean rust since 2000, when the disease first entered their country. Hansen's team will also observe disease management in small grains and "maize," the South African term for corn. The three Virginia Cooperative Extension agents participating in the 2007 trip will share their knowledge with others agents when they return.
The 2007 trip will last 17 days. Unlike the 2006 exchange, the globetrotters will not stay in Bloemfontein at night and travel to farms throughout South Africa during the day. Instead, they will begin their journey in Bloemfontein, travel to various spots around the country, and end where they began. Although finding an Internet connection may be difficult at times, the team hopes to blog about their experiences as often as possible.
Who They will Visit
This year, the Virginia Cooperative team will meet with several plant pathology researchers in the Plant Sciences Department at the University of Free State, including:
Sakkie Pretorius
Neal McLaren
Wilmarie Kriel
Wijnand Swart
They will learn about the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Grain Crops Institute when they visit the Small Grains Institute in Bethlehem and the Grain Crops Institute in Potchefstroom. View a map of the ARC research center locations.
They also hope to visit the University of Kwazulu Natal, Pannar Seed, and the farm of Dale van Aardweg .