First day on the job

Well, I made it through my first day on the job with the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI).

This is a completely new not-for-profit organization that is set up to innovate plant nutrition for more productive and nutritious food production in Africa.  We’ll be doing research and educational activities across the continent.

Africa faces many challenges, including a rapidly increasing population, wide-spread soil degradation, and lagging crop yields.  Improving the management of plant nutrients and fertilizer will clearly play an important role in the sustainable development of African agriculture.

    

Our APNI headquarters is located on the campus of the new Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir, Morocco. We also have field offices in Kenya, Ivory Coast, and northern Morocco.

Marrakesh and Benguerir

My primary responsibility will be to develop and coordinate our communication outreach activities.  There are so many scientific principles related to plant nutrition that are well known, but not widely understood or practiced by African farmers.  I’ll be developing printed and digital teaching materials, web-based information, video presentations, and conducting in-person training meetings and seminars. 

This is a great professional opportunity for me to apply the many experiences I’ve had in order to help African farmers.  I’m hoping this adventure will be professionally fulfilling and worth the upheaval that Sue and I will experience in moving across the world. Who knew that the career of a soil scientist could be so varied and interesting?

 My new identification card looks quite official. One of the next tasks will be learning French.  Language class starts next month!