AEC's Dodd tapped for prestigious National FFA Africa Outreach Program
The National FFA Organization has selected a Texas Tech graduate student to participate in its inaugural FFA Global Outreach: Africa program. Described by program officials as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it features an all-expense-paid trip to Zambia, Africa, to help local farmers fight area hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture and conservation.
Caleb Dodd, an agricultural education major from Melrose, NM, is one of a half-dozen collegiate FFA members from across the nation that will be making the journey to Africa from July 28 to Aug. 20. The group is led by Bradley Leger with Louisiana State University's Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge.
FFA officials indicated that program participants will begin with a two-day orientation in Washington, D.C., before departing for Mfuwe, Zambia. Once there, they'll live and work for two weeks with the staff of Community Markets for Conservation, a model for rural development that supports natural resource management.
The organization operates through a non-profit company, which partners with communities called the "Conservation Farmer Wildlife Producer Trading Centre." The FFA's African summer program is supported by a grant from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
Landlocked Zambia, located in southern Africa adjacent to Congo, Angola and Zimbabwe, has a population of 12.9 million. It's known for its spectacular scenery, including Victoria Falls along the Zambezi River, Bangweulu Swamps and the Luangwa River Valley.
Following his stay in Zambia, Dodd will return to Washington, D.C. for a debriefing before heading back to Lubbock. There are expectations for generating reports and making post-trip presentations based on their experiences in the program, officials said. There's also an opportunity for students to arrange for college credit.
The national FFA organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization with more than 500,000 student members. FFA members often use their experiences in the organization to prepare for careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.
Written by Norman Martin
CONTACT: Steve Fraze, chairman, Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2816 or steven.fraze@ttu.edu
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