On Nov. 5, Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum officially agreed to join forces with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in its effort to reduce world hunger and poverty.
A former under-secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keenum said his personal experience with humanitarian relief along with prior discussions and relationships with the FAO prompted an invitation to its headquarters in Rome, Italy, this past June for a two-day meeting. During this time, he was also asked by the senior leadership to give a seminar on MSU’s research capabilities, establishing it as a suitable partner for the FAO in addressing world hunger issues.
 Keenum said in order to better promote its long-standing mission of providing assistance to developing and underdeveloped nations, the FAO plans to make great use of MSU’s valued research and expertise in the field of agriculture, specifically in the areas of food safety, security and supply.
 ”Mississippi State University has a very long and rich history of research and outreach work, a tradition and legacy of which I am very proud and which I would like to revitalize through this memorandum of understanding. It is my hope that this valued research will not only benefit the citizens of Mississippi and those here at Mississippi State University, but also those citizens all around the world in dire need of assistance,” he said.
Keenum said he believes this collaboration will allow for the development of a more formal relationship between the two institutions by presenting an opportunity for MSU faculty to be engaged in meaningful research and possibly providing FAO internships for students as well.
David Shaw, MSU’s vice president for research and economic development and Greg Bohach, MSU vice president for agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicine, are responsible for researching funding options that may be available for such outreach efforts.
 ”We spend a lot of time exploring where opportunities lie, such as in the form of additional partnerships with other non-profit organizations, contract firms or with federal agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development and the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service,” Shaw said. “We are doing everything we can to find the best opportunities and how to make these opportunities into a reality.”
He said he believes this partnership will be beneficial on an international level, but he said he also would like it to prove the same on a domestic level, especially with more faculty and student involvement.
“Externally, it has a positive impact on how the world deals with hunger and poverty. Internally, we want to see more engagement and an enhanced global awareness across the entire university,” Shaw said.
Daniel Gustafson, director of the FAO Liaison Office for North America, said he recognizes there are a lot of challenges in feeding the world and maintaining a safe and nutritious food supply, but he is confident the alliance of the FAO and MSU will allow for this ideal situation to become a reality.
“By getting MSU into the mix, I am hoping that we can find some creative and innovative ways of working together, possibly with other institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America,” Gustafson said. “I am also looking for [MSU’s] input and know-how, such as with production systems, renewable energy and remote sensing. This information can be helpful to the FAO, even if we don’t have a larger project right now, so I’m very optimistic.”