1. New Director/Administrator Orientation Multi-functional Integrated Activities Alton Thompson Dean and Executive Director of Agricultural Programs North Carolina A&T State University

2. New Director/Administrator Orientation Legislative Requirement Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 Commonly referred to as AREERA

3. New Director/Administrator Orientation Intent of AREERA Better integrate research to technology transfer and information dissemination activities Support multifunctional and multi-institutional approaches to better realize research, extension and education objectives Encourage regional and multi-state programs to address common concerns and to leverage scare resources in a more effective manner

4. New Director/Administrator Orientation Priority Setting Process (AREERA) A process for obtaining input from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension and education All 1862, 1890 and 1994 institutions that received formula funds are required to comply

5. New Director/Administrator Orientation 1862 Research and Extension Requires that each institution receiving Hatch and Smith Lever funds expend for integrated research and extension activities, a percentage that is at least equal to the lesser of 25 percent or twice the percentage expended in FY ’97 Federal formula funds used by a state for integrated activities may also to used to satisfy the multi-disciplinary research and multi-state extension activity requirement

6. New Director/Administrator Orientation 1890 Research and Extension Elements to be contained in their Plan of Work mirror those required of 1862 institutions But, no percentage requirement of Federal formula funds for use of in realizing multi-function, multi-state, multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary activities

7. New Director/Administrator Orientation “Section 406” Program (AREERA) Integrated Research, Education and Extension Competitive Grants Program A mechanism with USDA for funding activities on a wide variety of potential topics that integrate research and extension with education

8. New Director/Administrator Orientation What is a multifunctional integrated activity? According to Federal rules developed by AREERA, integrated activities (also referred to as multifunction) are “jointly planned, funded, and interwoven activities between research and extension.” This includes the generation of knowledge and the transfer and application of information and technology

9. New Director/Administrator Orientation What is a multifunctional integrated activity? According to Section 406 of AREERA (Integrated Research, Education and Extension Competitive Grants Programs), integrated is defined as “bringing the three components of the agricultural knowledge system –research, education, & extension- together around a problem area or activity.”

10. New Director/Administrator Orientation Component Definitions Research – a scientific investigation or inquiry that results in the generation of knowledge Extension – an act or process that delivers science-based knowledge and informal educational programs to people, enabling them to make practical decisions

11. New Director/Administrator Orientation Component Definitions Education – formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences and other related matters as faculty development, student recruitment, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment and innovative teaching methodologies

12. New Director/Administrator Orientation Examples of multifunctional integrated activities Joint research and extension personnel appointments Coordinating committees Workshops Training Projects

13. New Director/Administrator Orientation Why are multifunctional integrated activities so important? Enhance the implementation of the Land Grant mission by promoting significance and usefulness of projects and programs Resource efficiencies Organizational efficiencies

14. New Director/Administrator Orientation Why are multifunctional integrated activities so important? Added Value Synergies Expanded Access and Relevancy Responsiveness to the people (and stakeholders), state goals and USDA goals

15. New Director/Administrator Orientation Integrated Activities - Collaboration at NCA&T To advance the implementation, application, outreach, or transfer of the results of their proposed work, NCA&T researchers are encouraged strongly to incorporate extension activities, or components into their proposed work

16. New Director/Administrator Orientation Incorporation of such Extension Activities could involve... Field demonstrations Website development that improves public accessibility of research results Salary support of collaborating Extension Specialists Leadership or involvement of the PI in planned Extension educational workshops, conferences or other events

17. New Director/Administrator Orientation 2001 - 2002 Annual Report School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina A&T “Making the Connection: Academic, Research & Cooperative Extension”

18. New Director/Administrator Orientation School - Wide Summits (N=2) “to determine ways for instruction, research and Extension to function more cooperatively, and to create quality interdisciplinary and integrated programs focusing on six major program initiatives” Asset Allocation Matrix

19. New Director/Administrator Orientation

20. Six Program Initiatives emanated from reviews of... National goals of USDA Needs of the State (N.C.) Input from town meetings (stakeholders) (AREERA requirement) State Advisory Extension Council

21. New Director/Administrator Orientation Six Program Initiatives emanated from reviews of... Faculty expertise and interest Significant potential for establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses, industries, foundations & governmental agencies

22. New Director/Administrator Orientation AREERA Definition of Stakeholders Persons who sponsor, conduct, are directly influenced by, use or benefit from our research, extension, or education projects and programs. Internal: (research & extension colleagues and collaborators) External: individuals and families, communities, businesses, industries, policy makers, sponsors, collaborating agencies and organizations

23. New Director/Administrator Orientation AREERA Definition of Stakeholders Persons who sponsor, conduct, are directly influenced by, use or benefit from our research, extension, or education projects and programs. Internal: (research & extension colleagues and collaborators) External: individuals and families, communities, businesses, industries, policy makers, sponsors, collaborating agencies and organizations

24. New Director/Administrator Orientation An Example of a Mutifunctional Integrated Activity “Enhancing Economic Opportunities of Tobacco Impacted Communities Through Alternative Agricultural Enterprises and Business Management” (Golden L.E.A.F.) “... central to this proposal is its research- based approach, backed by strong extension and educational components that is used to help to...” Stakeholder Input

25. New Director/Administrator Orientation Project Objectives Establish an integrated systems approach to research and outreach which meets the needs of tobacco dependent communities Develop a research base that will provide information on sustainable production and marketing practices in the areas of specialty crops, medicinal herbs (NC State), and livestock/aquaculture enterprises

26. New Director/Administrator Orientation Project Objectives Develop and institute a Small Farm Enterprise School... to convey information about the production and marketing of alternative agricultural enterprises and the development of co-operatives provide funding and consulting support for 30 on-farm alternative enterprises that will serve as demonstration sites for tours, field days...

27. New Director/Administrator Orientation Project Implementation Team Baldwin (Extension), PI Yeboah (Education), Co-PI Shirley (Research), Co-PI Extension Specialists (N=5) Researchers (N=5) Educators (N=4) Nonprofit Collaborators (N=2) (monthly meetings)

28. New Director/Administrator Orientation Challenges Territoriality Ontological differences between extension specialists and agricultural researchers Determining the alternative enterprises Distribution of (scarce) project funds Annual evaluation (reward system)

29. New Director/Administrator Orientation Challenges Collaboration takes considerable time and energy “What do we give up in doing the new things?” “Can you turn down collaboration?” Maintaining momentum Need to move along more quickly

30. New Director/Administrator Orientation Outcomes Fifteen growers in 13 tobacco-impacted counties are implementing demonstrations of eight alternative enterprises on their farms One field day (July 2002) ---22 people participated Two Golden LEAF Grower Schools ---49 participants

31. New Director/Administrator Orientation Outcomes Working with a non-profit to incorporate “The Five Star Family Cooperative”

32. New Director/Administrator Orientation Concluding Remarks Multifunctional Integrated Activities Critically necessary to solve emerging problems too complex for one component of the land grant system to solve alone Based on good communication and cooperation in an atmosphere of trust and respect Takes a tremendous amount of time and energy Building relationships is fundamental Effective collaborations are characterized by building “win-win--win” relationships

33. New Director/Administrator Orientation Concluding Remarks Multifunctional Integrated Activities Can not be legislated Require parity between individuals Is based on mutual goals Depends on shared responsibility for participating in decision making Share resources/resource efficiency Share accountability for outcomes