College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Key Personnel: D. Meaders and R. Ray (Ag); G. Axinn, G. Wood, M Thorne, and H. Whittier, Team Leaders; N. Axinn and others at MSU

Project Name:           Nepal Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science - IAAS
Donor:                       Midwestern Universities Consortium for International Activities (MUCIA) with funds from the Agency for International Development
Contract No:              AID/NESA-C-1197 (AID/MUCIA Contract)
Account No:              71-3876
Location:                   Nepal
Duration:                   December 1975 - September 1984
Budget:                     $5,335,436

Key MSU Faculty:       Darrell Fienup, Campus Coordinator, Gar Wood, and Robert Stevens (Agricultural Economics); D. Meaders and R. Ray (Agricultural Education); G. Axinn, G. Wood, M Thorne, and H. Whittier, Team Leaders; N. Axinn (Non-formal Education); H. Bird, J. Williams, W. Combs, and R. Deans (Animal Science); H. Bittenbender (Horticulture); P. Kaplan, G.Axinn,  H. Schwarzweller, and R. Middleton (Rural Development/Sociology); H. Whittier (Anthropology); J. Libby, H. Coppel, and K. Chapman (Entomology); W. Nelson (Farm Management); I. Wyeth (Institute of International Agriculture)

Publications:              (Click here to view)

Project Goals:           To increase agricultural production in Nepal by assisting the Government of Nepal's Tribhuvan University in developing the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science in order that Nepal could train individuals to help fill manpower needs in the agricultural sector.

Project Plans/Objectives:

• To assist in the overall development of the institution, including academic planning with the Chief of Party working with and through the Dean of IAAS;
• To assist in the development of a departmental structure, curricula, of courses of study, and practical field and laboratory experiences;
• To assist with staff improvement, participant selection, and campus planning;
• To assist with the development of an extension/adult/nonformal program for villages and other out-of-school youth and adults;
• To develop a baccalaureate program.

Cooperating Institutions: IAAS, Tribhuvan University, Government of Nepal, MUCIA

Project Summary:          Since the project's inception in 1975, MSU served as the lead university for MUCIA in supporting the development of the IAAS at Rampur, Nepal. IAAS is the nation's only institution of higher education in agriculture, and provides training at the baccalaureate, certificate, and diploma levels. A major goal of the project, to develop the baccalaureate degree program, was achieved in mid-1979 when the first class of B.Sc. degree recipients graduated. As project leader, MSU was responsible for the management of all facets of this AID-supported project.

The overall objective was to assist the IAAS to meet manpower training needs of Nepal's agricultural sector more effectively. Major project accomplishments, carried out in full partnership with Nepalese staff, include: a) providing long- and short-term staff members who have advised and participated in curriculum development, teaching, and research; b) training IAAS staff members at the advanced degree level in the U.S. and in the Philippines; c) developing and conducting special non-degree training programs; d) procuring and shipping educational materials and project equipment to Rampur; e) the formation of a new Extension Coordination Committee with members from all relevant departments, chaired by the Dean, and coordinated by a Member Secretary appointed by the Dean; f) the development of guidelines for outreach efforts at IAAS which were being brought before the Extension Coordination Committee for review and refinement; g) the formation of the Farmer's Advisory Board, a liaison and advisory group consisting of key members of the Extension Coordination Committee, farmers from each ward, and local panchayat leaders; h) the completion of a baseline study of all farm families in the PEP; i) the decision to extend outreach services to farmers in other panchayats adjacent to the campus in addition to the PEP panchayat; and j) the receipt of an invitation from the Department of Agriculture to prepare an upgrading, in-service training course for its extension workers.

Unique features of the project include: a) the development of two satellite campuses; b) development of practical, simple, applied research projects by joint student/staff IAAS/MUCIA teams; c) carrying out of appropriate nonformal education and extension projects in nearby villages by joint student/staff IAAS/MUCIA teams; d) synthesis and trial of new and modified courses of instruction and learning arrangements in keeping with Nepal needs; e) development of procedures for coordination of IAAS programs with various government agencies; f) cooperative working arrangements with Nepal farmers, with relevant units of Tribhuvan University, and with selected institutions of higher education in agriculture in the Philippines, India, and the U.S.; and g) specially designed group workshops and seminars for all Nepal students studying in the U.S.

Documents From/About this Project:

• Tribhuvan University Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS)
• Final Report. MUCIA/AID Project at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science of Tribhuvan University, Rampur, Nepal. 1985.  Project No. 367-11-110-102, Contract No. AID/NESA-C-1197.
• End of Tour Report – Nepal Project (IAAS). 1982. By  Garland P. Wood.  MUCIA/AID Project at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences of Tribhuvan University, Rampur, Nepal.
•  Livestock Farm Economic Study. 1986. Stevens, Robert D. Report No. 6. IAAS II Project.
• USAID Development Clearing House Document search on the this project

* This description is adapted from work by Nancy E. Horn, an MSU alumnus from the Anthropology Department, published in 1985 “A Project History of Michigan State University’s Participation in International Development for the period 1951 – 1985”.  See AFRE Emeritus Faculty - Acknowledgements