2017 ASHS Annual Conference

I will discuss the many experiences I have had in international development activities during my academic career. International involvement has allowed me the chance to visit over 50 countries and become involved in teaching, research, outreach, and advising to agricultural communities in many host countries. Starting as a rural boy in Michigan, I had a limited worldview. My advantage was that I had an opportunity for education and a mindset to explore opportunities for personal growth. Being a university professor over the last 38 years has provided a base for international development work. Initially, my first international opportunity in Honduras in 1982 was serendipity. I became involved because it was a chance to see the world. I quickly learned that international research involved a commitment to specific objectives to support agriculture production improvements in less developed parts of the world. Further, my overriding goal was to work with people to develop agriculture systems that lead to opportunities for personal, economic, educational, nutritional and social improvements. My title says trials, tribulations and lessons learned; however, I feel the trials and tribulations were minor. The lessons I learned far outweighed any problems encountered. I learned that working with local people and providing them with empowerment, through agriculture development, results in improved life within impoverished areas. Empowerment is the basis of my discussion. I will provide my perceptions of why a person would become involved, how programs are funded, and how results are implemented, institutionalized, and become the norm. Examples include activities in Central and South America, Europe, Africa, and China. My work has focused on addressing major world issues regarding food availability, nutrition, ecological sustainability, income generation, social justice and improved lives for people throughout the world.