NC A&T to Host Women in Agriculture Symposium

March 19, 2001

Greensboro, NC: As part of its 2001 Small Farms Week activities, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will host the Women in Agriculture Symposium on Tuesday, March 27, and Wednesday, March 28.

The symposium will begin on Tuesday 10:00 a.m. and continue until 8 p.m. that night at the Student Memorial Union on the North Carolina A&T campus in Greensboro.  On-site registration will be available, before the symposium, from 8 to 10 a.m.

On Wednesday, the symposium resumes with a session on international trade at 8 a.m. in the Student Memorial Union. Activities on Wednesday include concurrent educational sessions and the Small Farms Luncheon, during which the 2001 Gilmer L. and Clara Y. Dudley Small Farmer of the Year Award will be presented to the state’s top small-scale farmer.

The symposium concludes with a general session on Wednesday, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

During the symposium, experts will lead educational sessions and seminars on such topics as policy, leadership, environmental and risk management issues, and new opportunities for women in solving global problems of food and fiber supply. 

"Anyone with an interest in the issues of women, agricultural development and rural development is welcome to attend," said Mary Mafuyai-Ekanem, a small farms management specialist with the NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program. "We want to help participants learn about the issues facing women today and discover means to overcome any of the challenges they may face."

Coordinated by North Carolina A&T State University's Cooperative Extension Program, Small Farms Week is an annual celebration honoring the small-scale farmers of North Carolina. A variety of activities related to small-scale agriculture are scheduled for the week of March 24 to 30.

For more information or to register for the symposium, please call Mary Mafuyai-Ekanem or Sheilda Sutton (336) 334-7956, of the NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program by March 26.

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