At Purdue, we take for granted that everyone reading this newsletter is a member of the Colombia Purdue Initiative, a diverse group of individuals in both Colombia and the United States that have one common goal: strengthen collaborative efforts between Colombia and Purdue. It has been my great pleasure to see this happen quite naturally as Purdue learns more about Colombia. And, while there are probably just as many ideas and approaches to further this progress as there are members of the CPI, often a simple trip can result in important commitments. I have a recent example:
I recently had the pleasure of traveling in rural communities in the Department of Meta with a Purdue professor and entomological colleague, Dr. Rick Foster. Rick was visiting Colombia for the first time, and during our visit, we met with professors and students from UniLlanos, professionals at ICA and at least 100 hard working men and women making a living producing and selling agricultural products from the land. Although this trip was unique, it was similar to several I have taken where I am traveling with someone seeing Colombia for the first time. No matter what part of the country we are visiting, the end result is highly predictable.
Keep in mind that Rick's expertise in integrated pest management has taken him to many parts of Africa, Asia, Europe and Central America. This trip was certainly not his first experience in international agriculture, with exotic plagues or with social or agricultural diversity. Nevertheless, as I could have predicted, Rick summarized his experience in the Llanos by saying that "the trip was extremely positive in comparison to others, because of the friendliness, dedication and ingenuity of the Colombian people. I would like to become involved in collaborative work in Colombia."
This is the history and pleasure I've had working with all of you.
I humbly ask you to please keep this in mind as Purdue's day of giving approaches. A small contribution can provide an important opportunity to make new collaborations and strengthen Colombia-Purdue relationships.
Sincerely,
Jeff Stuart
Colombia-Purdue Executive Director
Last modified: December 4, 2023