Project Grant 20237000338784

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL AND DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITIES ARE COMMITTED TO ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO STRENGTHEN FACULTY AND STUDENTS' EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND OPPORTUNITIES. BOTH UNIVERSITIES HAVE DEVELOPED ACCESS AND APPRECIATION FOR INTERNATIONAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCES THROUGH, CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT, STUDY ABROAD AND EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. OUR PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO STRENGTHEN THE GLOBAL COMPETENCE OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, EXPAND THEIR GLOBAL AWARENESS IN A SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN CULTURE, AND INTRODUCTION TO NEW GLOBAL VISION THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH INSTITUTIONS IN RWANDA. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: (1) INITIATING AND ESTABLISHING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS WITH RWANDA AND SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA INSTITUTIONS; (2): INCREASING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN INTERNATIONAL FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES SCIENCES OPPORTUNITIES; (3): DEVELOPING JOINT FACULTY MENTORING AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN SOME AGRICULTURE CHALLENGE AREAS , AND (4) USING THIS AND OTHER OVERSEAS PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD STRONGER PIPELINES FOR MINORITY STUDENT RECRUITMENT INTO OUR PROGRAMS. THE PROJECT WHEN COMPLETED WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE QUALITY OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, HUMAN, AND NATURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION AT BOTH AAMU AND DSU. THE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM WILL BE WELL PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL ISSUES/NIFA'S STRATEGIC GOALS OF GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY AND HUNGER, FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY, BIOENERGY/BIOFUEL, GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION, AND SUSTAINABLE RURAL ECONOMIES.