National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) extramural grant funding agency for agricultural research, education, and Extension programs. A senior seven-member NIFA delegation under the leadership of Dr. Dionne Toombs, NIFA Associate Director for Programs, visited the Republic of Palau State to attend the four-day Conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) in Koror State, Republic of Palau from April 27 to May 3, 2024.
In addition to the NIFA team, the four-day conference was attended by Mrs. Doreen Hauser-Lindstorm, Executive Director of the Western Extension Director’s Association (WEDA), Dr. Bret W. Hess, Executive Director of the Western Association of Agriculture Experiment Station Directors (WAAESD), Dr. Douglas Steele, VP of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and Dr. Paul Lewin, Executive Director of the Western Rural Development Center (WRDC).
Delegations from sister Land Grant Institutions in the region, namely: University of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension, Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Services, University of Guam, College of Natural & Applied Sciences, America Samoa Community College, Agriculture, Community, and Natural Resources Division. Representatives of the College of Micronesia-FSM and the College of the Marshall Islands also participated in the conference.
The conference’s main focus was highlighting the College of Micronesia Land Grant program activities through the cooperating partner colleges and the impacts of those regional programs. Furthermore, the NIFA team and others from relevant agencies were made aware of the issues and challenges faced by the College of Micronesia Land Grant programs in the Micronesia region.
The conference was coordinated by a joint team from the College of Micronesia Land Grant Program under Executive Director Mr. Stanley Lorennij and the senior leadership of PCC, including COM Board of Regent Chair Dr. Emais Roberts, PCC President Dr. Patrick Tellei and Dr. Christopher Kitalong, Vice President PCC CRE.
Pictured from left to Right: Dr. Brent Elrod, Senior Programs Officer, Office of the Director, NIFA; Alexis Nazario-Negron, NIFA Director of Planning, Accountability and Reporting; Kellyann Jones, NIFA Program leader, Institute of Youth, Family, and Community; Dr. Dionne Toombs, NIFA Associate Director for Programs; Dr. Suzanne Stluka, Deputy Director Institute of Food Safety & Nutrition (IFSN); Elizabeth Kerling, NIFA Senior Grants Management Specialist, Award Management Divison, posing in front of Palau Community College in Koror, Republic of Palau.
A group photo was taken on Day 1 at the conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on April 29, 2024.
Execitive Director adressing the gathering on Day 2 at the conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on April 29, 2024.
COM Executive Director Stanley Lorennij chairing a meeting with representatives of the Colleges in the region. From the right to the left of Director Stanley; Dr. Aufa I Apulu Ropeti Areta, Director of Programs at Amercian Samoa Community College, Agriculture Community and Natural Resources Division; Dr. Jeremy Elliot-Engel, Associate Dean & Associated Director, CES, University of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension, Dr. Rachael Leon Guerrero, Dean University of Guam CNAS, Dr. Adedayo Ogunmokun, VP, CMI-CRE; Steven Young Uhk, VP, COM-FSM-CRE; Mrs. Patricia Coleman Interim Dean Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research, Extension & Education Services and Dr. Christopher Kitalong, VP, PCC -CRE on Day 2 at the conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on April 30, 2024.
From the left; Dr. Murukesan Krishnapillai, Agriculture Research Scientist, COM-FSM, Yap CRE with Mr. Mark Googag, COM-FSm Yap-CRE Coordinatior working on a group activity related to Yap at the conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on Day-4, May 2, 2024.
From the left : Dr. Manoj R. Nair Acting Associate AES Director & Aquaculture Research Scientist, COM; Doman Daoas, CFO,COM (sitting); Steven Young Uhk, VP, COM-FSM CRE; Trisden Elias COM-FSM Pohnpei CRE Coordinator and Engly Ioanis, Acting Associate CES Director & Livestock Specialist, COM (sitting) working on a group activity related to Yap at the conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on Day -4 , May 2, 2024.
A group photo of the COM-FSM CRE 4 State coordinators explaining their work on trditional foods and medicines in Micronesia to the Conference representatives . From left to right : Mark Googag, COM-FSM Yap CRE Coordinator; Kalvin Assito, COM-FSM Chukk CRE Coordinator; Trisden Elias, COM-FSM Pohnpei CRE Coordinator and Mrs. Kenye Killin, COM-FSM Kosrae CRE Coordinator, taken on Day 4 of conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on May 2, 2024. On the far right, MC of the Conference, PCC CRE Agriculture Research Aide, Emengel Singich is seen taking pictures.
A photo of the CMI CRE Senior Extension Agent Lajikit Rufus explaining the work on trditional foods and medicines in Marshall Islands to the Conference representatives taken on Day 4 of conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on May 2, 2024.
A photo of the PCC CRE Agriculture Research Aide, Emengel Singich explaining the work on trditional foods and medicines in Marshall Islands to the Conference representatives taken on Day 4 of conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on May 2, 2024.
Dr Chris Kitalong , V.P. PCC-CRE and McKinght McArthur Field Assistant, Agriculture, PCC -CRE explaining to the group the data collection methodology of soil probes set up at a farm site in Koror, Palau on May 2, 2024
Dr Patrick Tellei, President PCC explaining to the group about Palau traditional house construction and the significance of their traditional design in Koror, Palau on May 2, 2024.
Mr Bachat Arsenio (foreground in green tee) from the Koror State Solid Waste Management Office explaining the recycle efforts at Koror State to the Conference representatives during the field trip on Day 4 of conference on USDA NIFA Land Grant Programs for USAPI and FAS Colleges at Palau Community College (PCC) on May 2, 2024.
A group photo of the support team from PCC and PCC-CRE led by PCC-CRE Senior Agent Elchung Hideyos who helped in the smooth conduct of the Conference.