“Eye opening.” “Perspective changing.” “Trip of a Lifetime.”
These were just some of the descriptions Indiana Ag Leadership Program Class 21 members had as we returned home from our 2-week international journey through Ghana and Kenya Sunday. The Ag Leadership Program is administered by AgrIInstitute.
Kristal Painter, who works for Southern Indiana regional economic development organization Radius Indiana, says what struck her most about our time in Africa is that they are facing many of the same issues and asking many of the same questions we’ve been asking for years here in the U.S.
“How do we get the youth involved? How do we deal with the climate change pressures? How do we get funding? I think it was really good to hear that we’re facing the same challenges in this big world.”
Many farmers and government leaders also shared with us that farm labor is a serious issue in both countries.
For Andrew Sherman, director of the economic development division for the Indiana State Dept. of Agriculture, he recalls a trip to a farm on our last day in Ghana where we had to be presented to the village chief before being allowed to tour.
“Remote village, a diversified farm where they had really integrated all of the different crops and things that they were growing in a really impressive way. They were making cassava and plantains and a number of fruits…Really it was community values, generational agriculture, and it was just cool to see something like that work for that community. It’s something that we don’t see the same type of thing in Indiana.”
Benton County farmer Andrew Winger reflected on the trip at the airport recalling that the group of 28 that went were practically strangers less than two years ago when the program began. The opportunity to share these experiences together is what will stick with him.
“When you sign up for a leadership program, you think you’re going to get a little education, maybe fine tune some skills, and hopefully learn a few things. But I never anticipated having a whole group of people that I’m probably going to call friends for the rest of my life. It’s pretty cool.”
To see more from the Ghana and Kenya trip, follow AgrIInstitute on Facebook or ask any Class 21 member- we’d love to share our story with you!
