New Liaison Scientist in Eastern Africa CoP

As of October 1, Beth Medvecky will assume the responsibilities of liaison scientist for the CoP.  The CCRP team has greatly appreciated the efforts of Rebecca Nelson in her dual role as scientific director and liaison scientist and we are happy that she will continue to serve as scientific director for CCRP. Beth Medvecky has extensive experience and deep roots in East Africa.  She lived in rural Kenya for nearly two decades, working at the grassroots level throughout that period to improve low external input agricultural practices to benefit resource constrained households. She returned to the U. S. to earn a certificate in Ecological Horticulture from University of California, Santa Cruz and an M. S. in International Agricultural Development with a specialization in Plant Protection and Pest Management from the University of California, Davis. From 1992-2001, Beth led a novel adaptive research program for a local non-governmental organization. The program facilitated smallholder farmers to jointly experiment with low external input options for pest management and soil fertility management, and to assess improved crop varieties and crop diversification and intensification strategies to increase productivity, household nutrition and income. Subsequently, Beth earned a PhD in Crop and Soil Science from Cornell University, where she currently serves as research associate and assistant director for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development.  Since 2009, Beth has also served as associate director for the Food Systems and Poverty Reduction IGERT PhD Traineeship Program. Please join us as we welcome Beth as our new liaison scientist.