Vol. 13(2) Summer 06

From the Editor

Greeting to all members of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) and to all readers of the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education (JIAEE)! The JIAEE summer issue brings many contributions from the 22nd Annual AIAEE Conference, held in beautiful Clearwater Beach, Florida. On behalf of the AIAEE, we say “thank you” to Pete Vergot III, Nick Place, the AIAEE leadership team, and their many helpful volunteers for planning, coordinating, and hosting a wonderful conference in Clearwater Beach. I am hopeful all conference attendees enjoyed visiting Florida.

Have you considered starting and/or participating in an international agricultural education student exchange program? If so, you will find much insightful reading on this topic in our first article, which is a synopsis of the Keynote Panel Discussion from the 22nd Annual AIAEE Conference. The authors, Chumakov, Bruening, Frick, Friedel, and Moreno (p. 5), presented thoughts from an innovative program between several U.S. universities and the Moscow State Agricultural Engineering in Moscow, Russia. Collaboration and cooperation, from many agriculturally-related entities in such a program, are highly integral elements for success.

Webster and Ganpat explored the concept of civic youth development in Trinidad and Tobago (p. 15). Their qualitative study could be the framework from which similar studies worldwide could be initiated, as the literature base in civic youth development is scarce. Irani, Place, and Friedel assessed perceptions of potential barriers affecting students’ likelihood of participating in international learning at the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (p. 27). Financial costs and time remain the most relevant barriers. Sjah and Cameron provide us with an insightful analysis of farming systems management on new cropping lands in East Lombok, Indonesia, and its applications for extension (p. 39). Rivera provides commentary on the developments and issues regarding agricultural knowledge systems which affect agricultural development (p. 57). Barnett contributed a review of the book, Mozambique’s experience in building a national extension system, by Gemo, Eicher, and Teclemariam (2005). Finally, as is our tradition with the summer issue of the JIAEE, abstracts from all papers accepted for presentation at the 22nd Annual AIAEE Conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida are included (p. 73), as are listings of all association and journal award winners (pp. 106-110). Please send your congratulations to all award winners and make plans to nominate your own work and/or your colleagues’ contributions to next year’s award selection processes.

Thank you to all JIAEE contributors, reviewers, and board members for assisting in the production of this issue. Enjoy your summer issue and continue doing what you can to promote greater understanding of agricultural and extension education worldwide.

Sincerely,

Gary J. Wingenbach, Editor

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education