Location: Bogotá and Santa Marta, Colombia; Mississippi State University, Mississippi

Funders: U.S. Department of State – 100,000 in the Americas

Background: Mississippi State University (MSU) in partnership with SENA-Regional, Magdalena -Centro Acuícola y Agroindustrial de Gaira (SENA-M) in northern Colombia, developed the first bilateral exchange to implement a study abroad program in the field of Precision Agriculture comparing two distinct agricultural environments, incorporating language and cultural awareness components. MSU students increased their comparative knowledge about the implementation of precision agriculture data techniques, farm management practices for two distinct agricultural settings, and acquired knowledge about agricultural and rural development policies in a comparative perspective. SENA-M participants accessed advanced research developments in precision agriculture techniques improving capacity for transfer of research, expanded their network of collaborators, increased awareness about the existent opportunities to access higher education both in Colombia and the US. For all the program participants, this exchange has significantly enabled creative thinking, expanded capacity for collaborations, improved language skills (Spanish for MSU participants and English for SENA-M participants), and increased multicultural awareness.

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