IPAN Publications & News

RUSSIA

January 26-February 9, 2008: Nine undergraduate students at Moscow State University of Environmental Engineering (MSUEE) are visiting UM, where they will tour two waste water treatment plants, USDA in Beltsville, MD, and soil and water pollution classes on the UMCP campus. IPAN Assoc. Director Dr. Richard Weismiller, has been teaching the MSUEE students for several years by weekly video-conferences.

Their tour was kicked off January 28, 2008, by a video-conference led by UM Pres. Mote with MSUEE Rector Kozlov Dimitri Vyacheslavovich.

For most of the students, this is their first trip outside of Russia. Escorting the students are Andrei Sorokin, MSUEE's International Programs director.

AGNR professors Dr. Trish Steinhilber and Dr. Robert Hill are participating in the MSUEE tour.

CHINA

January 2008: Dean Wei and IPAN director Dr. Ray Miller met with international programs officials at China Agricultural University (CAU), and NWAFU. They also visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, to discuss joint programs. Also on the trip were ENST chair Dr. Frank Coale, AREC's Dr. Bruce Gardner, and Animal and Avian Sciences professor Dr. Juizhou Song.

NWAFU visits UM, enters into agreement

In September 2007, Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University (NWAFU) in Yangling, China, toured UM's campus, research centers, and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Service. Four to five NWAFU faculty and lecturers are working at AGNR in food safety, ag-economics, plant sciences, and animal sciences.

TURKEY

From September 15-28, 2007, seven farmers and three GAP (Southeastern Anatolian Project) officials, one of whom was a farmer, took part in HasNa’s Leader Farmer Training program. The group, which came from southeastern Turkey, had two weeks of agricultural training with the University of Maryland.

The agricultural training focused on alternative farming techniques, growing different crops, water management, sustainable agriculture, and problem solving. Ultimately, the goal was to teach the farmers how to increase their farm output and empower them to take back that knowledge to other farmers in Turkey. The participants visited about three farms each day, and had ample opportunity to witness firsthand different farming practices and how to market their products. One of the biggest problems the farmers face is over-relying on cotton, which is no longer subsidized by the government. The challenge, then, was to train them to experiment with new crops and new farming methods that will inevitably help develop their farms. HasNa expects the leader farmers ito use their power and influence to train other farmers in their respective communities and implement change.

World Bank Training: Farming for Profit and the Environment

IPAN took 30 World Bank employees on a tour of Maryland farms to see a small organic farm and a large pick-your-own farm. The group was also introduced to a High Tunnel project, which is part of a research strategy in partnership with the University of Maryland. In this type of farming, crops are planted within a tunnel that is covered by a thick layer of plastic. To read more...

IRAQ

Professor Helps Iraqi Farmers

Prof. James Hanson, left, in Iraq

When thinking of projects to revitalize Iraqi economic activity, leather flight jackets may not come to mind. However, Prof. James Hanson is hoping to show Iraqi farmers how they can use leather hides to create jobs. To read more...

RUSSIA

Distance Education: An American veterinary scientist in New York lectured to Russian veterinarians on the symptoms and issues of leukosis in dairy cattle. She showed photos of healthy cow livers compared to diseased organs and fielded questions on preventing the spread of the deadly disease. To read more...

UM International Activities

"Growing Globally" … researchers in the Dept. of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture work to ensure safe food transactions. Nearly half of fresh fruits and vegetables Americans' eat are from foreign countries, says Prof. Chris Walsh, an horticulture expert. He trains foreign teachers good agricultural practices in order to protect U.S. consumers from foodborne illnesses. (TERP magazine, Winter 2007) To read more...

Russian Meat Safety conference programme (April 2006)The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterniary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, awarded IPAN Associate Director, Dr. Richard A. Weismiller, with a Doctor Honoris Causa degree for his contributions to the university. Dr. Weismiller has been a Consulting Scientist to Agricultura: Review of Science of Practical Agriculture and has given several lectures to students and faculty at USAMV. Weismiller also gave plenary papers at the 3rd and 5th International Symposia. (2006)

Kazakhstan: Extending Educational Outreach to Farmers (June 2005)

Uzbekistan: Extending Educational Outreach to Farmers in Uzbekistan (March 2004)

For more information, contact Ann Leger

Last updated: 01/31/2008