Through this collaboration, the Centre for Agricultural Development in the African and Asian Regions will be set up, providing developing nations with an opportunity for capacity-building.

At Hyderabad, Telangana, India, a crowd gathered to witness the official opening of the Centre for Agricultural Development in the African and Asian Regions. The Centre, a collaboration between Michigan State University Extension and the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management in India, seeks to assist farmers in the area in implementing best management practices in their fields while assisting MSU Extension educators in expanding their perspectives on global issues in order to bring opportunities back to the United States. Quentin Tyler, Karim Meredia, and P. Chandra Shekara are seated in the first row from left to right.

The Centre for Agricultural Development in the African and Asian Regions has been established by Michigan State University Extension in collaboration with the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) of India. The Centre will work as a hub for countries that are developing to increase their capabilities, fostering innovations and entrepreneurship in agriculture as well as sound agricultural practices that will empower farmers.

"MSU wants to spread great business and management practices throughout the world," he stated. "In collaboration with MANAGE, this Centre will assist with policy creation to support agricultural growth in areas that have occasionally had difficulty feeding rising populations, helping to realize this goal in the agriculture sector."

The challenges of labour, technology, markets and climate variability are global in nature, according to Tyler. "Uniting varied brains from many cultures is assisting us in advancing our aim of enhancing people's lives, families, businesses, communities and nations via education. We can extend our perspective by examining well-known issues from a different perspective. Observing alternative approaches to solve problems has taught us a lot and we are bringing that knowledge back to Michigan to support our local farmers.

The Centre is hosted by P. Chandra Shekara, the director general of MANAGE, in Hyderabad, the state capital of Telangana, India. 

"This marks a noteworthy achievement in the collaborative effort between MANAGE and MSU Extension," he said. "Our goal is to use this center's worldwide experience to address the problems that smallholder farmers in developing nations face.

As dean of Michigan State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Kelly Millenbah remarked, "We're proud of Michigan State University's status as a historical leader in agricultural research and Extension and the farmers in India are forging new paths forward in cutting-edge agritech." Anticipating what insights each of us can share, I am thrilled.

The organization brings the extensive knowledge resources of MSU directly to people, communities and businesses, assisting in the resolution of important challenges, needs and opportunities.