A team of Extension leaders from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) recently visited the Bahamas to support agricultural and youth development initiatives in the region.
Extension’s mission to solve critical community problems extends beyond Florida’s boundaries. By building partnerships and programs, they are able to share their agents’ knowledge as well as gather new ideas to solve common challenges here and abroad, said Norma Samuel, Central District Extension director.
During the visit, which took place from Dec. 12 to Dec. 15, the team met with the Bahamian Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Jomo Campbell, as well as representatives from the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), the non-profit Lend a Hand Bahamas, the Bahamas Vocational and Technical Institute and the Agriculture Alliance of the Caribbean.
The teams explored opportunities for collaboration in integrated pest management, soil lab setup, student and faculty exchanges, youth development and pest and disease assessment on the islands.
One of the highlights of the trip was the meeting with Lend a Hand Bahamas, a non-profit organization dedicated to youth development, Samuel said. The UF/IFAS team discussed ways to support the organization’s efforts to deliver after-school 4-H programs, which focus on youth development, nutrition, food security and mental health, based on the existing Florida 4-H framework.
“We live in a society where events in one part of the world can have ripple effects globally,” Samuel said. “By engaging with our nearest neighbors in the Caribbean, we are not only supporting their communities but also learning and building our expertise in working with other cultures. This makes us more effective in delivering programs here in Florida, where we are part of a global community.”
The delegation from UF/IFAS included Andra Johnson, dean for Extension; Norma Samuel, Central District Extension director; Marcus Boston, UF/IFAS Extension Leon County director; Karla Shelnutt, an associate dean for Extension; and Rob Bailey, production manager at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The group also included FAMU leaders Vonda Richardson, director of Cooperative Extension; Harriett Paul, director of the Office of International Agriculture Programs; and Linda Sapp, FAMU Extension agent.
The Florida Cooperative Extension leadership team’s efforts in the Bahamas are part of a broader strategy to enhance agricultural education and youth development in the region. By leveraging the Florida 4-H model, Lend a Hand Bahamas delivers activities that benefit not only youth but also their families, promoting entrepreneurship, local crafts and revenue-generating opportunities that can uplift generations.
Samuel said the trip highlighted the importance of relationship-building across borders and cultivating a deep understanding of local needs when doing outreach. She said there has been a focus on taking the time to do needs assessments and developing quality programs that reflect UF and FAMU’s standards before taking that programming to another audience. That’s one of the reasons these ongoing partnerships with the universities’ Extension services have been so successful.
“It was 18 months of relationship-building before we ever stepped foot in the Bahamas,” she said. “We want to ensure we are delivering intentional, targeted programs that meet the identified needs.”
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ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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