2011 Borlaug-Ruan Intern: International Livestock Research Institute

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

From Howard Lake, MN (small town with less than 2,000

people)

Raise pigs, beef cattle, and chickens

Help uncle run corn and soybean farm

Involved with FFA (an agricultural leadership

organization), NHS (National Honor Society), Concert

Band (I play clarinet), and the World Food Prize (of

course!)

Will be a senior at HLWW (Howard Lake-Waverly-

Winsted) High School

Plan to attend the University of Minnesota, St. Paul to

major in Agricultural Education

Hampshire and Yorkshire

Ethel

So how did I get here?

Founded by Dr. Norman Borlaug – considered to have

saved more lives than any other person

Organization that recognizes individuals who are working

to fight world hunger

Award high school students internships

o 8 weeks

o All expenses paid

o Many different countries (including: Bangladesh, China, India,

Turkey, and Kenya)

Since 1998, over 140 students have travelled abroad

Summer 2010: Wrote my essay on humanitarian aid and

food relief in disaster sites with a focus on Iraq

Fall 2010: Attended Global Youth Institute where I heard

from past interns

Winter 2010: Applied for an internship

Late winter 2011: Selected as a finalist, went to IA for an

interview

Spring 2011: Found out I would spend my summer in

Ethiopia

Time frame: June 10 – August 8

Projects: Chicken health and sheep

breeding/genetics

Supervisor: Dr. Tadelle Dessie

Places I visited: Debre Zeit, Mehal Meda,

Molale, Addis Ababa, Awash, and Nazret

Ethiopian Institute for

Agricultural

Research- Debre Zeit

Judy, Stacey, and

Paul

ELISAs, data entry,

post mortem,

parasites, and serum

samples

Dr. Lynch

ELISA

Parasites

Minnesota in

Debre Zeit!Making Fruit

Salad

Ram selection

Interviews with

farmers

Hot and Cold!

Average farmer

“Faranji Hysteria”

Very patient

people…thank you!

Mehal Meda

Developed a short questionnaire to interview farmers

o Questions included: Why sheep are raised, if feed shortage is

experienced, what problems are faced, and if a breeding

schedule is used.

15 farmers in 2 different villages (Mehal Meda and

Molale)

o 2/30 farmers interviewed were female

Coded responses to questions for analysis

Used Microsoft Excel to evaluate the codes and develop

charts/graphs displaying the information

83%

17%

Farmers Experiencing Feed Shortage in Mehal Meda and Molale

for the year of 2011

Yes

No

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Farm

ers

Rep

on

din

g“Yes”

Feed Shortage Experienced by Farmers (in Mehal Meda, Molale, and Average of Both) by

Month in 2011

Total

Mehal Meda

Molale

100%

23%20% 20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Income Consumption Wool Fertilizer

Reasons for Raising Sheep in Mehal Medaand Molale in 2011

Series1

3%13%

40% 40%

7% 3%0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Sheep Selected to Fatten in Mehal Meda and Molale for 2011

Series1

100%

23%27%

23%

10%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

White Red Brown Mix Black

Wool Preference by Farmers in Mehal Meda and Molale in 2011

Series1

Genesis Farms

Awash

To appreciate everything…especially the little joys in life

Having little doesn’t mean you have nothing to give

There is a world outside Howard Lake, MN

People appreciate even the smallest acts of kindness

There really are people living in poverty…its not just on

TV

We each have the talents needed to feed the world

Thank you to

everyone who has

made my stay at ILRI

a positive experience.

I may be leaving

Ethiopia, but I have

many memories to

keep for the rest of

my life.