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INVESTIGATOR: Whittaker, W.; Alipoe, D.; Howell, M.; Ravola, M.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY
ALCORN STATE, MISSISSIPPI 39096

INCREASING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This project proposes to increase experiential learning opportunities of agriculture majors through participation in Rural Development and Global Food Security Programs. Specifically, the project will employ innovative techniques to encourage greater interest in rural development and food security, thereby ensuring that our students are professionally trained and workforce ready to address socioeconomic forces affecting rural communities. It will enable students and staff to work with local communities throughout Southwestern Mississippi, the Mississippi Delta and other areas of the state to acquire real-world knowledge, while helping to empower rural people to resolve persistent problems of poverty and food insecurity. The project will serve as a significant recruitment/retention tool for the Department of Agriculture. Southwest Mississippi, in which Alcorn State University is located, is one of the poorest and most food insecure regions of the State. It experiences high rates of poverty, unemployment and obesity. Indeed, 18 percent of households in the region are considered food insecure. For many years these regions have introduced programs to help improve socioeconomic conditions, notwithstanding, they continue to experience economic stagnation. The direct engagement of students/faculty/staff in community development and food security programs in these regions will be the ideal learning laboratory. The project will strengthen Alcorn's Agriculture programs and enhance the capacity of the University to support development, food security and poverty alleviation in Mississippi. It should be noted that the shift in teaching and learning paradigms demand that Agriculture curricula provide students with practical exposure to rural perspectives through targeted hands-on learning in rural areas.

OBJECTIVES: The project will seek to achieve the following objectives: 1. Foster development of student professional competencies and strengthen retention through experiential and service learning opportunities by networking with organizations that are involved in community development, poverty alleviation and food security programs. 2. Support recruitment; establish strategic partnerships and effective linkages with Elementary and High schools in Claiborne, Jefferson and other Southwest Mississippi counties through an "adopt-a-school" program and other outreach activities. 3. Enhance faculty pedagogical, knowledge base and research competency by engaging cooperatively, with groups and organizations in selected counties.