South Carolina State University and the University of the Gambia (UTG) have entered a historic partnership for mutual research, student and faculty exchange opportunities and agricultural extension services.
“We are delighted to enter a formal strategic partnership with the University of the Gambia to provide sustainable solutions for food security and safety challenges,” said Dr. Lamin Drammeh, associate vice president for SC State Public Service and Agriculture (PSA), who coordinated the agreement for SC State. “Our alliance strengthens our capacities to better address the research, academic and extension education needs of our students, our faculty and the communities we serve.”
On Aug. 7, SC State President Alexander Conyers and College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences Dean Ralph Noble signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UTG Vice Chancellor Herbert Robinson and School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Dean Sidat Yaffa at the UGT’s Dr. Musa Sowe
Climate Change Building.
The MOU is among a series of ongoing initiatives between SC State and the West African nation, which also include a solar-powered water system aiding 400 women farmers and a project supporting a citrus growing operation.
SC State PSA’s extension work in Gambia is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture via the 1890 Universities Foundation Center of Excellence for Global Food Security and Defense (GFSD) housed at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Drammeh is the grant’s principal investigator.
Conyers said SC State is best positioned among U.S. institutions for the relationship with UTG, given its status as an HBCU (historically Black college or university) with agricultural education, research and extension programs.
“We were founded more than 125 years ago in 1896 specifically with the mission of agriculture for African American students,” Conyers told the UTG representatives at the MOU signing ceremony. “So, we know this business —
we know this business well.
“We look forward to sharing what we have learned over the past 100 years of educating and elevating African American students so that they can empower their families and their communities – sharing that with you,” Conyers said.
Strengthening Gambia’s agricultural sector with more grads
Robinson said Gambia’s agricultural sector needs to be stimulated, so UTG has a goal to increase the number of graduates produced by the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
“This country must feed itself, and the only way you feed yourself is to make sure
our School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences is well equipped,” Robinson said. “It’s clear that there are huge capacity gaps, but there are opportunities, as well, and this is why we are here signing this MOU to begin to put these
ideas into action.”
According to the MOU, the universities will cooperate and collaborate in the following areas of mutual interest:
- Faculty exchanges.
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Student experiential learning.
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Educational administration and leadership.
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Food and agriculture systems.
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Climate change and climate-smart agriculture.
