Tuskegee University

The Faculty Fellows were hosted by Tuskegee University from May 25 through June 8. Fellows visited Davis Arboretum at Auburn University where they were trained to identify different species of plants and observation of the arboretum landscaping led by Dr. Rashidah Farid. The Fellows visited the Tuskegee Forest and were trained in the setting of camera traps and visited the Tuskegee organic and beekeeping farms. Fellows attended an introductory lecture on ArcGIS by Dr. Briana Smith and visited the TU Research Center and Zero Energy Cool Chamber (locally constructed for cooling vegetable produce for small farm holders). The fellows were then accompanied by Dr. Rashidah Farid, Dr. Briana Smith (from the US Fish and Wildlife Service) and Mr. John Amonoo (Head of the University’s Forest Inspection of damaged bridges) for a tour in the Tuskegee University Forest where they received a practical demonstration of the QGIS application. Other resource visits included the German modify solar drier (locally constructed for drying seeds), the mobile simple handwashing station, and the Kwaku Achiabor Multipurpose farm use station locally constructed for sorting out and washing of vegetables. 

Alabama A&M University

HECA faculty Fellows arrived at Alabama A&M University and attended an Introduction to Forestry and Dendrology class.  During the visit, fellows attended dendrology, scientific methodology, computer software courses and received an introduction to botany and herbarium collection procedures and traveled to Bloucher Ford Nature Preserve with field botanist Lynne Weninegar. There, they received full-day training on identifying, collecting, labeling, and preserving plant specimens for study and herbarium storage. Fellows went into the field to learn about tree boring and aging and attended a class on the USDA Forest Service. Fellows attended an all-day wildfire experience where they learned about prescribed burning methods and how to use various fire equipment.

The Higher Education for Conservation (HECA) Chief of Party and Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Forestry, Biodiversity, and Conservation (FBC Center), Dr. B.K. Robertson, recently returned from a visit to the University of Rwanda. The purpose of the visit was to establish a partnership with the University of Rwanda for a collaborative training experience for High Education for Conservation (HECA) fellows from the University of Liberia (UL) and the Forestry Training Institute (FTI). Rwanda and few other countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria with advanced degrees and programs in forestry biodiversity and conservation are being considered to serve as third party countries for training of HECA fellows.

The trip kicked off with a tour of the University campus in Busogo, College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (UR-CAVM). I visited several livelihood farm projects including the Potato See Warehouse by SPF-Ikigega in the Musanze district, visit of the Bigogwe farm for livestock, and the Center for training community women in product development, entrepreneurship, etc. The trip includes exploring agricultural innovation and conservation at the University of Rwanda, College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine. I also visited state-of-the-art laboratories for GIS training, GPS and camera tracking activities, etc. The trip was inspiring. I met with the head (Principal) of UR-CAVM, Dr. Guillaumr Nyagatare, College Dean, and Chair of Forestry Department.

During the trip, I along with faculty of UR-CAVM attended an International Conference for Science and Partnership for Agriculture in Kigali. I participated in a technical workshop on climate change and soil health as a side event. The theme was investing in soil health practices and efficient fertilizer use to enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience in Africa. The discussion was centered around the role of agriculture in contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and how it is impacted by emissions, current policies addressing climate change in Africa, ongoing research projects and their findings on climate trends, agricultural systems most vulnerable to climate change, etc. We examined how climate change affects farmers’ livelihoods, particularly small holder farmers. We also discussed gender-specific vulnerabilities and impacts on women in agriculture and forest communities, and we analyzed the impact of climate change on food production and food security. Apart from crop yields, pest and disease dynamics, water resources, and soil health, other discussions centered around mitigation and adaptation strategies. Final discussion included but was not limited to technology and innovation such as digital agriculture, precision farming, and other emerging technologies.

Overall, the visit was very fruitful and overwhelmingly inspiring. There are many aspects of technology in farming and forestry that our fellows could benefit from if the University of Rwanda was chosen as alternative site for training for our HECA fellows.

HECA is designed to harness the power of the higher education sector to catalyze economic and social development. HECA is a USAID-funded cooperative agreement with the University of Georgia (UGA) and its team of collaborating partners, including the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW), the University Consortium for Liberia (UCL) in the U.S., Tuskegee University (TU), Alabama A&M University (AAMU), the University of Liberia (UL) and the Forestry Training Institute (FTI) in Liberia. The goal of HECA is to capacitate Liberia’s workforce in ways that support the conservation and sustainable use of Liberia’s rich natural resources, most notably its forests and related biodiversity, while also advancing economic development, gender equality, youth empowerment, and the social inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable populations in Liberia, particularly Liberia’s forest-dwelling and forest-dependent communities. HECA operates from the Center of Excellence for Forestry Biodiversity and Conservation, an independent entity housed on the Fendall campus of the University of Liberia.