The class meets twice a week for 3 credits (letter grade only) and meets only for the first half of the semester (until spring break). International Agriculture 402; Agriculture in the Developing Nations I - India and Thailand(section 2) is a prerequisite for the course. A group term paper or project is required, based on the field trip experience and focused on general themes established in the previous semester.

Agriculture in the Developing Nations II- India (section 2) integrates a two-week field laboratory to India with period for reflection, analysis, and synthesis during the spring semester. Field trip dates are: January 1-20, 2008

The main objective of the January field trip is to gain a better understanding of the problems of agricultural and rural development through their first hand observation and subsequent analysis.

Selected Cornell students are eligible for financial assistance and should contact the course coordinator/teaching assistant. Students will work with India and Thailand students and faculty to develop a group paper on a particular theme found interesting during the January field trip.

The January 08 field trip will provide all students a chance to interact with farmers in a village setting; visit and understand how an International Agricultural Research Center (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics) addresses issues related to poverty alleviation; visit in small sub-groups important sites working on crops/ soils/ dryland issues/ gender, equity, extension, rural development, biotechnology etc.

The field trip also provides an excellent opportunity for both Cornell and India students to interact on a one to one basis on cultural and international development issues.

Upon return from the India field trip students will meet for classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from January - March, 2008 from 8-10am in 135 Emerson Hall. Some of these classes will be through video conferences between Cornell and India students. Each student taking this couse is required to use Blackboard for all course information, syllabus, readings, assignments, announcements, etc.

The class will be divided into the following theme groups, supervised by the faculty members noted.