Commentary from Participants on the 2004 Field Trip to India

I am writing you with regards to the IARD 602 trip to India.  I would like to thank you for the funding I received from the IARD and plant breeding depts. towards the trip, allowing me the opportunity to participate in the trip.  I enjoyed the trip very much and was quite impressed with how organized everything was.  IARD 402/602 gave me a good
introduction to many of the agricultural and domestic issues that developing countries are facing.  However, the most beneficial aspect of the trip for me was simply having the opportunity to visit a developing country and an international research center.  The main reason in which I came to Cornell and the plant breeding dept for my graduate studies was
because of the extensive internationally oriented work.  I have thought for a few years that I would like to work in a developing country or international research facility, but have never had the opportunity to see what they are really like.  Now that I have had the chance to visit these places I am more convinced that working in an international
research center is something I would like to do.

 Thanks, Adam Famoso

My name is Christina Nyhus, I am a first year doctoral student in International Nutrition here in the Division of Nutritional Sciences.   I have just returned from a three-week trip to India with the INTAG 602 course taught through CALS.  I was one of 33 students from Cornell to participate, and the only representative of the DNS.  Eight faculty members from a variety of departments were also in attendance and readily accessible for questions.  In addition to the Cornell team, roughly 20 students and faculty from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad were along for the entirety of the trip.  The interaction and exchange that was fostered between students was invaluable and enhanced the learning experience ten-fold.

As a participant and a nutrition student, I would like you to know how important this trip has been for my educational experience here at Cornell.  In our short visit we were able to visit and attend talks from USAID, ICRISAT, International Rice Research Institute (India office), TATA Coffee marketers, an IT technology outsourcing center, a dairy plant as well as interact with local NGOs and cooperatives in food production and fisheries.  It was also the first opportunity I’ve had to hear Dean Susan Henry speak, as she overlapped with us for a few days on the trip!  All in all, it has allowed my multi-disciplinary interests to find refuge in different parts of this diverse campus and abroad, and given me countless insights for potential research topics for my dissertation.

I strongly encourage you to support this program in the future, either by promoting it through emails to students each year or by actively finding funding for interested nutrition students to attend.  I think it would help to improve the breadth of interest among nutrition scientists and foster strong bridges within the CALS community here at Cornell.

Yours respectfully,

Christina Nyhus, MPH

I would like to take a few moments of your time to show my appreciation to you and to the department for helping fund my trip to India this January.  Forty-five Cornell students and faculty were joined by approximately thirty students and faculty from the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu to travel across various parts of the country from January 4th to the 21st.

We toured numerous sites, from dairy processing plants to food bazaars to technology companies, giving us a broad view of India’s current and future agricultural systems.  In addition, we visited with local farmers in villages and observed their practices.  I found this portion of the trip to be most interesting, since I was able to formulate a picture of the role of animals in agriculture there, along with being able to contemplate their future.

This trip was a very exciting opportunity for me in that I was able to experience the practices of farmers in a developing nation.  I could also observe their duties and services within the system.  I was given an appreciation for the numerous factors that come into play when analyzing how a certain product or a group of people will continue to function in a system and how important all these factors are when forecasting future changes.  The broad range of expertise within both the Cornell and Indian university groups allowed us all to grow in our understanding of the scope of agriculture in the country, which we will be able to learn from and help to shape our own perspectives and those of people around us.

Again, I would like to thank you for providing funding for my attendance of this trip.  It was an enlightening experience to me and to all those involved.  I encourage you to continue supporting this vital class, which gives students a unique opportunity to broaden their world agricultural perspectives.

Sincerely,

Erin Peterson

I am writing to express my deep gratitude toward the IARD program for sponsoring my participation in the 602 field trip to India earlier this month.  This trip was a unique and special opportunity to visit a country on the other the world- geographically, culturally and, as witnessed during the trip, developmentally- and discover firsthand many of the challenges India will face in the coming years.

Prior to my participation in 602, my primary experience in the developing world consisted of nearly three years of Peace Corps service in Honduras.  It was there that I formulated many of my core philosophies on what the developing world needs as well as how to best facilitate ‘good development.’  Human resource development, primarily through basic education and concomitant advances in employment opportunities and access to health care, was at the forefront of my development ideals.

Yet India illustrated that some countries already have many of the required resources to become the drivers of their own development.  Indeed, India seems poised to leapfrog ahead of other nations and become an established world leader in the 21st Century.  The challenges of balancing this economic growth with social equity issues, however, need to be addressed with great care lest growing millions of the country’s poor and malnourished become a black spot on India’s overall progress.

In closing, my experiences in India during the 602 trip changed my paradigm on development issues in general and significantly deepened my understanding of the unique complexities of India as a developing country.  The Cornell faculty who accompanied us on our trip were excellent in providing students with invaluable guidance and perspective on issues related to development in India.  My fellow students were another highlight of the trip, as many of them eagerly soaked up the experience of being in such a unique and amazing country while part of such a special class.

In offering opportunities such as this one to graduates and undergraduates alike, Cornell University continues to assert itself as a leader among agricultural universities worldwide.  In order to work in international agriculture and ruraldevelopment and gain important perspective on accompanying issues, there simply are no more valuable experiences than such class trips.  I sincerely hope Cornell will continue to offer them for years to come.

My deepest thanks,

Pete Shelton

During this past winter break I had the privilege to participate in the INTAG 602 course. This class enabled us to travel to six Indian states over a span of two and half weeks.

INTAG 602 provided our class with a look at both the urban and rural/agricultural areas of India. We were exposed to the crowded streets of Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad where vendors and people filled the sidewalks and auto rickshaws, motorbikes, cars and buses occupied the streets. Although it seemed to me as a traffic free for all, amidst the chaos there was this unique form of order. Pollution was in the air and on the ground. There was poverty everywhere. Children were begging in the streets, people were sleeping on the sidewalk. At times it was hard to witness, but unfortunately this way of life is a reality in a developing nation. However, despite the unhappiness that this part of the trip invoked, it was still a real eye opener and a priceless experience.

We also traveled to the rural areas of Goa and Coorg. While visiting these states we were able to travel to a few villages and see how the people live and earn their money. We observed the daily lives of fishermen, farmers and people who work with aquaculture, coffee and rice. From this interaction we were able to see that India has implemented a number of different techniques to increase the success of those that are depending on agriculture and other natural resources as their only source of income.

Overall, despite the long flight back, this trip provided our class with a memorable experience that allowed us to witness first hand the development of India and its people. So, I hope that in the future, with the financial help of the university and its departments, many other students can take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Sincerely,

Vanessa Ballenas