Administrators Conference

Administrators and coordinators from all over the world gathered in Provo, Utah, to chart a course for the year 2000.

 

The past two Octobers have been busy ones for the Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture and Food Institute’s Provo office. In 1998, a large Donor Seminar was held to inform donors of the Institute’s accomplishments and plans. This past year, the project coordinators and several university faculty from Guatemala, Bolivia, and Ecuador were invited to share insights and ideas in an international brainstorming session. For the first time, the conference also included Moroccan and Ghanaian attendees, marking the Institute’s expansion into Africa.

The 1999 meetings officially began on Monday, October 4, with a welcome from BYU Academic Vice President Alan Wilkins, College of Biology and Agriculture Dean R. Kent Crookston, and Benson Institute director Dr. N. Paul Johnston. Each addressed the critical work of improving the quality of life in poor nations. Each talk was centered on encouraging the various administrators to focus on the Institute’s mission to improve the quality of life for people around the world.

Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning was filled with introductory presentations by the representatives from each country about the Benson Institute’s work in their respective areas. Translators accommodated both the conference participants and visitors such as professors, administrators, and students from the BYU community.

(Left to right) Mohamed Oussible, Morocco; Elisabeth García, Bolivia; Julieta Salazar, Guatemala; Rosse Mary Arze, Bolivia; Mbarek Essatara, Morocco; Sarah Adjei, Ghana; Raúl Barragán, Ecuador; Gonzalo Alfaro, Bolivia; Raquel Tustón, Ecuador; Victor Hugo Guzmán, Guatemala; Miriam Vargas, Bolivia.

Although the cultures and environments of each country are drastically different, the attendees found a surprising degree of similarity in the problems faced. Julieta Salazar of Guatemala said, “There are deficiencies of protein and calories, and deficiencies of vitamin A and iron. They are common problems, and they all come from a deficient level of nutrition.” Other prevalent problems include scarcity of clean water and unsound hygiene and agricultural practices.

Work sessions began on Wednesday afternoon as representatives from each area gathered together to discuss their nation’s particular nutritional and agricultural problems and brainstorm possible solutions in view of the lessons learned during the previous days’ presentations. During the work sessions each team developed a plan of action for the upcoming year. As Dr. Gonzalo Alfaro, the director of the Department of Food Technology at the University of San Simón, described it, “The fundamental purpose of the conference has been to formulate work plans for the year 2000 based on the experiences we have had. Coordination on an international level permits a greater vision and at the same time allows for a certain synergy.” Each attendee considered the nutritional, agricultural, and organizational needs to be met in his or her area of the world and defined solid goals to meet those needs.

A common feature of the various countries’ “Year 2000 Plan” was a focus on eliminating malnutrition through research and education. For example, the Bolivian team made a goal to educate 50 children and 30 families about basic nutritional practices in the community of Candelaria in the province of Cochabamba. The Ecuadorian team planned an educational program for 3 elementary schools and added a goal to help 20 percent of the families in one area to increase agricultural production. One goal set by the Guatemalan group was to support research on the productivity of corn and beans with different variations of crop density and fertilizer. They also plan to assist the school breakfast programs in area elementary schools. The Moroccan and Ghanaian groups set research-oriented goals to establish a firm base from which to launch future programs. After drafting initial plans, the smaller groups came together to revise and improve the various plans using the experience and ideas of the whole group.

Though the conference was intermingled with tours of the BYU campus and Utah, the international visitors dedicated most of their time to the work sessions and revisions. Raquel Tustón, the Ecuadorian project coordinator, described her experience at the conference: “We shared a lot of knowledge. It was productive to hear some of the ideas others have about improving the quality of the diet and family nutrition.” Tustón also described the final product of the attendees’ hard work by saying, “We have goals to work toward and we know that the next time we meet we will discuss the progress we’ve made. This conference has motivated me to work more to help other people.”

At the conclusion of the conference, Elizabeth García, Bolivian administrator, and Hugo Guzmán, Guatemalan administrator, received recognition awards for 5 and 10 years of professional contributions to the Benson Institute.

The Institute’s international visitors have now returned to their home countries to implement the newly formulated work plans in universities and rural communities. Sharing visions of service and learning strengthened all those who participated in the 1999 Administrators Conference.