In June 2024, the Climate Crops Centre member, Dr. Sonja Gvozdenac, participated in the USDA-FAS Cochran Fellowship Program on the topic “Climate Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation” at the North Caroline State University’s (NCSU) College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). Sonja was engaged with the USDA Southeast Climate Hub, NCSU researchers, North Carolina farmers, and climate specialists.
The training at NCUS included a mix of industry representatives, farmers, government officials, and university researchers that provided a well-rounded training that addressed science communication, the challenges of climate change, practical agronomic tools to address climate change, and regional resources. The goal of this program was to educate Fellows to provide effective climate-smart policies to support food security and implement climate-smart practices that are rewarded in the global trading system.
During training, several tours were organized for the fellows, such as the tour of the USDA Southeast Climate Hub, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, the agroecology farm, the plant science building, the NC State Phytotron and Drought Physiology Lab, a New Ground Farm in Pembroke, the tour of Locklear Brothers Farm, and the Organic Farming Research plot with a focus on soil as a carbon sink. Sessions that we attended were very diverse in topics, but all fit the scope of the training.
