College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Key Personnel: John Hunter, Co-Director (Latin American Studies Center) and Irving Wyeth, Co-Director (Institute of International Agriculture);

Project Name:           Brazil - Graduate Agriculture Education (PEAS). *
Donor:                       Ministry of Education and Culture, Government of Brazil under loan from the Agency for International Development Contract No.: AID Loan 512-L-090 
Account No:               71-3890
Location:                   Brazil
Duration:                   November 1974 - June 1978
Budget:                      $7,590,047

Key MSU Faculty:     John Hunter, Co-Director (Latin American Studies Center) and Irving Wyeth, Co-Director (Institute of International Agriculture); K. Lawton (Crop & Soil Science); Michael Weber and Darrell Fienup (Agricultural Economics) .   

Documents:               (Click here to view)

Project Goals:           To expand and improve graduate education in Brazil, particularly in agriculture (broadly defined) with heavy overtones in university planning and administration by providing professional, technical, and administrative services.

Project Plans/Objectives:

• To improve the planning and coordination of the Brazilian graduate education system;
• To create an effective central mechanism for improved planning and coordination of graduate education in agriculture;
• To develop effective university planning structures at six participating graduate centers.
• To assist in the successful administration, implementation, and evaluation of graduate education (teaching and research) at the graduate centers;
• To assist such graduate centers to increase their capacity to help lesser developed institutions concerned with graduate and undergraduate education in agriculture;
• To help upgrade and strengthen the libraries of Brazilian graduate schools;
• To assist in the strengthening of administrative management, coordination, and planning capability within the Central Planning Unit (UCAP) of the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC), and at the participating Brazilian universities;
• To assist UCAP in developing a planning, management, and coordination evaluation system for program activities;
• To assist UCAP in the development of systems to be used by the Department of University Affairs (DAU) and participating universities for administering and financing graduate programs;
• To assist University coordinators and staff in development of curricula and, if and when necessary, in expanding existing courses;
• To participate in teaching, advising, and research activities of the graduate courses as requested;
• To provide in-service training to Brazilian staff of participating institutions in all areas of program activity.

Cooperating Institutions: Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, Utah State University, University of Arizona, University of California-Davis, University of Florida, University of Georgia; Ministry of Education and Culture; six Brazilian universities, including Rio Grande do Sul, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Rural of Rio de Janeiro, Ceara and the University of Sao Paulo

Project Summary: One of MSU's major institution building experiences was the project of cooperation with the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Culture to provide professional, technical, and administrative services to support the development and execution of the Program for Higher Agriculture Education. Assistance was provided to the Ministry's Department of University Affairs and six Brazilian University Graduate Centers for the expansion and improvement of graduate programs in agriculture and related fields, as well as the establishment and development of improved planning, management, and coordination of graduate education in agriculture at participating Brazilian universities.  MSU, as prime contractor for this USAID loan agreement, formed an informal consortium consisting of seven U.S. universities having experience in Brazil, each of which contributed significantly to project goal achievement. Overall inputs included assistance in planning, programming, implementation, evaluation, and administration of graduate programs; development of curricula; participation in teaching, advising, and research activities of graduate courses; development of an overall library plan including procedures for library purchases and the shipment of 23,000 volumes; and in-service training to Brazilian staff of participating universities in all areas of program activity.

A major feature of the project was participant training at the degree and non-degree levels. A total of 200 Brazilians received specialized training at MSU and 27 other U.S. universities, 148 of whom pursued graduate degree programs. Thirty-seven of these 148 earned degrees at MSU. Non-degree training included postdoctoral training programs, visitation, attendance at professional meetings, and participation in short courses in Brazil and at MSU. A unique aspect of this project was the linking of the six University Graduate Centers with counterpart undergraduate schools of agriculture at other Brazilian universities. The project provided technical assistance, staff training, and other services to these institutions to improve and expand their capacity to train personnel for the agricultural sector.

Documents From/About this Project:

• Economic Aspects of Higher Education in Brazil. 1971. By John M. Hunter. Latin American Studies Center. Monograph series, No. 5.
• Weber End of Tour Report – Brazil Project. 1978.
• USAID Development Experience Clearing House – Search For Scanned Docs From This Project