Core Partners
The following are some of the IAD program's core partners at UC Davis. They provide diverse opportunities for students to build knowledge and skills, pursue research, and apply their experience on projects locally and globally.
Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI):
ASI seeks to ensure access to healthy food and promote the vitality of agriculture. It does this through integrative research, education, communication and early action on big, emerging issues, with a focus on three areas: Agriculture, Resources, & the Environment; Food & Society, and Education & Leadership. ASI links initiatives and education across the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the University of California, and California. It oversees Russell Ranch, the Student Farm, and the UC ANR Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program (SAREP).
Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Davis:
With a focus on excellence, the Blum Center's mission is to engage UC Davis faculty and students in finding tangible, sustainable solutions to alleviating global poverty. This multi-disciplinary, cross-campus initiative engages undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers and local community partners abroad through education, applied research and outreach. Practical application is the guiding principal of the program. Offers funding for projects and research addressing global poverty issues.
UC Davis Coffee Center
The UC Davis Coffee Center is the first multidisciplinary university research center to address the challenges and needs of the coffee industry through a holistic approach to coffee science and education. The Center will leverage our university’s global reputation for excellence, aligning expertise across campus, in both applied and basic research. With support from the coffee industry, the UC Davis Coffee Center is expanding quickly and is building towards a comprehensive program that provides educational opportunities at all levels and a broad spectrum of vital coffee research.
D-Lab/Program for International Energy Technologies:
Works to accelerate the development and commercialization of low-cost, clean and efficient energy technologies in the markets of developing countries. Offers courses to educate and involve university students in energy issues in developing countries. Curriculum includes lectures, guest speakers, case studies, and hands-on lab modules. Throughout the year, Interdisciplinary student teams work with mentors and international partner communities to help solve real-life problems in developing countries.
Horticulture Innovation Lab:
The Horticulture Innovation Lab was established in 2009, when the USAID selected UC Davis to lead a new $15 million, five-year global Horticulture Collaborative Research Support Program. In 2014, the program's name was changed to "Horticulture Innovation Lab," and USAID awarded an additional $18.75 million to UC Davis to continue for five more years. The Horticulture Innovation Lab builds international partnerships for fruit and vegetable research to improve livelihoods in developing countries. The program team and its projects help the world's poorest people break out of a persistent cycle of poverty by improving smallholder farmers’ abilities to grow and sell high-value crops. The program’s work is guided by ensuring gender equity, improving information access, targeting innovative technologies and increasing research capacity. Many of these pair graduate students with international NGOs and agricultural entities to implement projects.
International Programs (IPO), College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences:
IPO facilitates the exchange of information and learning between UC Davis and the global community in the areas of agriculture and the environment. It works with global partners to build the capacity of countries in research, extension, and education. A major focus is helping countries better develop and deliver information to support more highly integrated production through postharvest and market systems. It works with diverse internal and external partners in the areas of: 1) Graduate study & Collaborative Research, 2) Training and Workshops, 3) Material development, 4) Fellowships, 5) Curricula development, 6) Student and Faculty exchange, and 7) Technical support. IPO houses the USAID-funded Horticulture Collaborative Research Support program.
Global Fellowships for Agriculture Development (GFAD):
The Global Fellowships for Agriculture Development (GFAD) offers early-career professionals enrolled in agricultural and development-oriented graduate programs at all University of California campuses the opportunity to plan, engage and implement two to six-month-long international projects in developing countries. GFAD is funded primarily by the United States Agency for International Development's Global Development Lab and by the University of California's Global Food Initiative.
For more information, please visit their website
Russell Ranch:
Russell Ranch is a 300-acre site dedicated to investigating irrigated and dry-land agriculture in a Mediterranean climate. It operates the 100-year-old Long Term Research in Agricultural Sustainability research project, which explores the long-term impacts of crop rotation, farming systems and inputs (e.g., water, nitrogen, carbon, etc.), on agricultural sustainability. Sustainability is indicated by trends in yield, profitability, resource-use efficiency and environmental impacts. Russell Ranch is a research facility that supports UC Davis' extension and teaching missions through field days, field trips, undergraduate interns and graduate student research.
Student Farm:
Since its inception in 1977, the Student Farm has served the UC Davis students and faculty, farmers, gardeners, school children and many others. Its program centers around three principles: 1) A focus on sustainable agriculture, 2) An emphasis on in-field, experiential learning, 3) Encouraging student initiative, creativity and exploration. The Student Farm offers a wide range of opportunities for students to learn about and explore the many aspects of sustainable agriculture, including internships, courses and research.