REU Site: Geographic, Socio-economic, and Cultural Factors Shaping Crop Diversity and Livelihood Outcomes

University Of Vermont & State Agricultural College, Burlington VT

Investigators

Abstract

This project is funded from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the SBE Directorate. It has both scientific and societal benefits in addition to integrating research and education. Relationships between on-farm crop diversity and food and income security have long been of interest to scholars and development practitioners. The REU Site at the University of Vermont (UVM) provides eight U.S. students from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research on crop diversity and livelihoods among smallholder farmers. Under the eight-week REU, students spend four weeks on the UVM campus in Burlington, Vermont where they train in spatial analysis, survey analysis using existing large farm and household datasets, qualitative research methods, and written and oral communication. They then conduct original research on on-farm crop diversity, regional crop diversity, nutrition, and rural livelihoods. Students thus have the chance to contribute to multi-dimensional research while developing theoretical and methodological skills, and engaging in cross-cultural partnerships. Building on the model of a previous REU Site, this program provides participants with a unique cultural and educational experience, while offering the chance to conduct original research in a supportive REU setting. Recruitment is open to any NSF eligible undergraduate students, though the program is designed to promote participation by low-income students, first generation college students, and students from underrepresented groups. This REU Site contributes to active scholarly debates around how production of diverse crops relates to food and income security. Working with mentors from UVM, the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC), Pennsylvania State University, Sterling College, and the international research center Bioversity International, REU participants actively engage in the design and implementation of research on crop diversity and livelihoods across geographic scales including: (i) Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyses using public and commercial datasets; (ii) statistical analyses using large, nationally representative household surveys (e.g., DHS, LSMS-ISA); and (iii) field-based surveys and interviews, working with local partners to verify findings from secondary data and further explore how crop and food choices relate to geographic, economic and cultural factors. We also provide innovative methods linking newly available geospatial datasets and large household survey datasets, and testing patterns that emerge from secondary analyses via primary data collection with local partners. Results are disseminated widely through meetings of community partners, a customized website, co-authored student publications in economics, rural sociology and interdisciplinary journals, and student participation in professional conferences. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.