Training Five New Extension Agents in Sustainable Agriculture in the US Territory of Guam

Project Overview

WPDP25-004
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2025: $87,881.00
Projected End Date: 04/01/2026
Grant Recipient: University of Guam
Region: Western
State: Guam
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Robert Bevacqua
Email
University of Guam
Co-Investigators:
Dr. L. Robert (Bob) Barber, Jr.
Email
University of Guam Cooperative Extension Service
Mark Acosta
Email
University of Guam, Cooperative Extension

Commodities

  • Fruits: bananas, melons
  • Vegetables: eggplant

Practices

  • Crop Production: cropping systems
  • Education and Training: extension
  • Soil Management: composting

    Proposal abstract:

    Project Summary:  This proposal outlines a plan for training five new extension agents and other extension personnel in the U.S. Territory of Guam in sustainable agriculture and related outreach programs. It will be structured as a ‘train the trainer’ effort.  The project will provide the new agents with the skills and knowledge for delivering educational programs to island citizens, emphasizing how to conduct farm and home visits and other village-level activities.   The in-service training will be based on 25, biweekly, sessions that are two to four hours in length that focus on hands-on, science-based, learning.  It will begin in April of 2025 and end in April of 2026.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    Objectives:  To achieve its goals, this project has five SMART objectives.

    • The specific targets for this proposal are:
    • Five new extension agents to be recruited in early 2025.
    • Secondary targets are:
      • Extension associates in need of in-service training.
      • Interns employed under the NextGen grant.
      • Support staff from Western Pacific Tropical Research (Ag Innovation) in need of in-service training.
      • Staff from the two Soil and Water Conservation Districts on Guam.
    • Impacts will be measured as number of practices adopted by trainees and utilized in their outreach efforts to the public. Training topics are listed in a following section.
    • The proposal is achievable in that the new agent’s primary duty will be to conduct farm and home visits and educational programs at the village level. This fills a gap in the current structure of cooperative extension on Guam.
    • The proposal is realistic in that extension training has been previously successful in developing agriculture and communities in other parts of the world. The training results in well-rounded agents who use research-based knowledge to improve quality of life.
    • The proposal is time-bound in that is focuses on the first year of an agent’s employment and offers biweekly training sessions.
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.