CSU, Chico Joins Five-Campus Consortium to Focus on International Agricultural Development Projects ts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 12, 2005
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Charles Crabb, College of Agriculture
503-898-5844
CSU, Chico Joins Five-Campus Consortium to Focus on International Agricultural Development Projects
California State University, Chico has joined the newly-formed California State University Consortium for International Development (CSUCID), a group of five California State University campuses.
The CSUCID, comprised of Chico, Fresno, Humboldt, Pomona and San Luis Obispo campuses, represents a core of expertise that is now available as a resource to international agriculture development initiatives currently underway across the globe.
Agricultural faculty throughout the CSU have worked on international development alone or with their own campus colleagues. They have extensive applied research experience and technical knowledge in all areas of agriculture, including water management and irrigation, food and dairy processing, viticulture, forestry, environmental sciences, agribusiness marketing and enterprise development. The formation of the consortium allows faculty to form teams with complementary expertise.
“Although the agriculture program at Chico State is primarily focused on the needs of California agriculture, there are faculty here who can make positive contributions to international agricultural development,” said Charles Crabb, dean of the College of Agriculture. “We are pleased to be able to collaborate with other CSU campuses to create teams that can have a positive impact on agriculture production in other parts of the world.”
In June of this year, the presidents of all five campuses in the consortium signed a memorandum of understanding that officially launched the CSUCID.
The consortium will provide a variety of agricultural and development expertise, including international research, technical assistance, training, extension, student participation, as well as links to private industry agribusiness leaders throughout the United States. It will encourage and facilitate strong collaborative applied research and extension partnerships with other qualified universities, professional organizations and governmental agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Agency for International Development.
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