NIFA grants to boost agricultural literacy, volunteerism and food science

Six professors and specialists in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences have received $783,000 in capacity-building grants from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The A&T projects will seek to increase agricultural and STEM literacy, boost volunteerism in underserved communities, and develop a delivery system for plant-derived bioactive compounds.

Cooperative Extension specialists Misty Blue-Terry, Ph.D. and Carinthia Cherry, Ph.D. have received a grant to recruit and retain volunteers in underserved communities to develop and sustain interest in 4-H programming, and to increase their skills and knowledge in leading 4-H clubs. The grant also seeks increase the number of minority and underserved youth recruited and retained in 4-H programs across the state.

“There is a great opportunity to develop strategies and training materials to support building a strong volunteer base in underserved African and Native American communities,” Terry said. “A concerted effort and model to attract participation from both adults and youth residing in these communities is a major gap in our current 4-H program.”

Cooperative Extension specialist Shannon Wiley, Ph.D. and agribusiness professor Chantel Simpson have received a grant to build agricultural literacy among youth by creating cooperative learning communities among 4-H Extension agents and K-5 educators. The Ag-STEM Integrated Skills Institute will provide them with professional development and training opportunities through N.C. A&T.

Shengmin Sang, Ph.D. works in his laboratory.

“Globalization and urbanization have resulted in a population that has less exposure to agriculture, leaving in its wake a population that is vastly illiterate about agricultural processes and its linkages to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM),” Wiley said. “Therefore a critical need exists to increase the agricultural literacy of not only youth, but those in close contact with youth, including educators and 4-H extension agents.”

Guibing Chen, Ph.D. and Shengmin Sang, Ph.D., of the Center for Excellence in Post-Harvest Technologies in Kannapolis, have received a grant to develop a starch-based delivery system for plant-derived bioactive compounds.

The starch-based delivery system will allow various plant-derived compounds, which possess a wide range of beneficial bioactive properties, to be encapsulated, and thus more easily used.