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FRANKFORT – A group of Kentucky State University faculty and staff traveled to Costa Rica in May to share Kentucky State University research and exchange ideas for collaboration with CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center). 
 
The trip is part of an 1890 Center of Excellence grant entitled, “Enhancing International Competence in Agricultural Science Education and Experiential Research.” This multi-institutional collaborative project aims to enhance the teaching, experiential research and learning capacity of faculty and students for understanding international challenges and opportunities in agriculture, environment, climate change and sustainability. 
 
Kentucky State University is one of three domestic institutions and CATIE one of six international institutions working together to provide international experiential learning opportunities for students and develop collaborative research and education partnerships. 

 Kentucky State University and CATIE both work in topics such as regenerative and tropical agriculture, forest conservation and sustainable management of small farms, agroforestry and organic agriculture, sustainable use of natural resources, and use of GIScience and remote sensing applications. 
 
“The new collaboration with CATIE will assist in the synergistic goal of developing internationally recognized programs and research in the areas of regenerative agriculture, forest conservation and agroforestry,” said Dr. Buddhi Gyawali, Professor of Geospatial Applications and Environment. “Kentucky State University students and faculty will benefit from the exchange of ideas in the global context of U.S. agriculture, innovative teaching practices, use of technology, and farmland management practices.” 
 
Dr. Gyawali was joined by Dr. Noel Novelo, Aquaculture Research Assistant Professor; Tara Maynard, Research Assistant; and Jeremy Sandifer, State Specialist in AgTech for Small Farms. 
 
“While there are wildly obvious geographic differences between Costa Rica and Kentucky, the similarities were striking, too— gritty and determined people imposing their agricultural will on a difficult and steep terrain.” Sandifer said.
 
Kentucky State University and CATIE will continue to collaborate on grant and research objectives. For more information, contact Dr. Buddhi Gyawali.