Rebuilding Agriculture Higher Education In Afghanistan Rick Foster Department of Entomology Purdue University

Purdue University – Advancing Afghan Agriculture Alliance (A4) Purdue University USAID A4 May 2007, USAID/USDA since 2005 –Main office, staff at Kabul University –Partner staff in Balkh, Herat, Nangarhar –5 Expat, 2 Afghan Collaboration –US Universities (Univ. California-Davis, Cornell Univ., Kansas State Univ. Texas A & M) –Indian Universities (Univ. of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore; Karnataka Veterinary, Animal & Fisheries Sciences Univ.) and seeking others –Partner NGOs (Catholic Relief Services, Jesuit Assistance, Joint Development Associates, International Foundation of Hope, Mercy Corps, and others)

Purdue University – Advancing Afghan Agriculture Alliance (A4) Agriculture Education Capacity Building –Faculty development Staff education abroad Course content improvement Develop of applied research opportunities –Student applied education Internships, job placement Co-curricular educational modules –Laboratories, Field Projects –Workshops, Seminars Strategic focus

Staff Education Abroad Faculty Education –MS degree program for junior faculty »UAS, Bangalore 7 Kabul, 33 other Afghan universities »Purdue University 7 Kabul, 6 other Afghan universities –Education for senior faculty »University farm development, ICARDA »Faculty Exchange Purdue, Cornell, UC Davis, Texas A & M

Purdue University – Advancing Afghan Agriculture Alliance (A4) Applied Research CIMMYT Collaboration –Experimental plots –30-variety wheat trial –Seminars

Student Farm Development –Student engagement –Link to course work –Link to workplace needs Vegetables Wheat / Grains X X X X X X X Student Farm Shed Faculty Building Barn Fruit Greenhouse Compost Bee hives Flowers Forage Maize / Legumes Sunflower / Herbs

Purdue University – Advancing Afghan Agriculture Alliance (A4) Farm Linked to Women Student Development –Horticulture field workshops –ICARDA Women’s Mint Association –MEDA women in extension

My Involvement in Afghanistan: An Example of Faculty Participation 2007 – Hosted Prof. Hamed Osmankhil, entomologist from Kabul for fall semester –Student in Dr. Chris Oseto’s General Entomology Class –Attended many Extension meetings 2008 – Hosted Prof. Mohammad Salim Rahimi, entomologist for Kabul for fall semester –Student in my Integrated Pest Management class and Dr. Oseto’s class

Goals of Faculty Exchange Program Update knowledge of subject matter Improve teaching skills by observing US faculty members Develop improved class syllabi and course materials

November 2008 Participated in week long review of agriculture curriculum at Kabul and several other universities –Professor Thomas Rost, UC-Davis –Professor John Duxbury, Cornell –Dr. Wolfgang Pittroff, Idar-Obersten, Germany

Sample of Recommendations Determine who employs graduates and what skills do the employers want them to have Development of improved syllabi Development of laboratory and field exercises Increase requirements for students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills

Summer, 2009 Six young faculty members participated in a 6 week training program in pest diagnostics at Purdue –Insects –Pathogens –Weeds –English language training

September, 2009 Conducted 3-day workshops on Integrated Pest Management to students at Kabul and Herat Universities

Winter/Spring 2010 Hosted Borlaug Fellow from Nangarhar –Participated in horticultural classes –Attended Extension meetings –Participated in field and greenhouse research –Interacted with US and other graduate students

June, 2010 Along with Dr. Chris Oseto, taught 5 day workshop in Kabul on insect collecting, preservation, and identification to young faculty members –19 attendees from 9 Afghan universities –Goal was for faculty to leave workshop with the beginning of an insect collection that they could use in their classes

Additional Activities Currently serving on Afghan student graduate committees; Ag Econ and Hort Train National Guard Agribusiness Development Teams prior to deployment Working with various groups to reduce the impact of insects on stored grains

Summary Goal is to build the capacity of Afghan faculty members so that they can provide their students with a quality education that will meet the needs of future employers and of their country Example from first trip to Afghanistan

We Need Education!!!