South Dakota State University (SDSU) is known nationally for its first-in-the-nation precision agriculture program. Now the program is going international.
SDSU signed a cooperative agreement with the Hungarian University of Debrecen in May that will connect the schools’ precision agriculture programs. This agreement will allow Debrecen students to take SDSU precision agriculture classes either online or in person in Brookings and obtain a degree from SDSU and the University of Debrecen. There’s also the hope that SDSU students will get to experience the University of Debrecen and travel abroad.
SDSU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dennis Hedge and University of Debrecen Rector Zoltan Szilvassy pass documents to each other to sign and finalize the cooperative agreement signing.
“We see it as an opportunity to expand opportunities for our students as well as the students at University of Debrecen,†says Joseph Cassady, dean of the SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. “We're hopeful that students from Debrecen will choose to attend in person and then that will give our students an opportunity to meet their peers from Hungary and learn from them and get to know agriculture as an international business.â€
Cassady traveled to western Hungary, which reminded him of South Dakota. He met students from Debrecen, and hopes they will find the same valuable experience coming to South Dakota as he did in Hungary.
“I think it’s important for them to be able to learn some things and take it back home,†says Cassady. “We’d like for them to learn about South Dakota and about our people and our culture.â€
A key purpose of this cooperative agreement is to help build bridges and share ideas.
“It’s going to be great for our students to have exposure to students from another continent, another nation, to help get ideas that they probably haven’t been exposed to before,†says Brent Turnipseed, SDSU professor emeritus of agronomy.
Discussions of this program started close to five years ago when the University of Debrecen originally reached out. Complexities, such as how to develop classes for online students, took time to work out.
SDSU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dennis Hedge and University of Debrecen Rector Zoltan Szilvassy seal the deal with a handshake at the signing ceremony.
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A cohort of students will take online courses from Hungary, and another cohort will come to Brookings for class.
“At some point they will be here as part of their four-year degree,†Turnipseed said.
SDSU’s precision ag program has developed over the years. It started as a certificate program and became a minor in precision agriculture. About seven years ago, the school started offering a major precision ag program.
“Our precision ag program is the first in the nation and we want to make it best in the nation,†said Dr. Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, also known as “Dr. Muthu.†He is department head of the SDSU Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
“We have a huge impact regionally, but we can hopefully broaden for global impact. What SDSU can do is introduce some international experience and practices in the future for our students,†says Peter Kovacs. “I think it should be and could be mutually beneficial for both parties.â€
Kovacs, SDSU associate professor for precision agriculture cropping systems, is originally from Hungary and will play a key role in implementing the new agreement.
Although there may be hurdles in launching the international program, the SDSU faculty involved is excited to see what will come of the program and how it will shape the future of SDSU. The school may create similar programs with other countries if the precision ag program proves successful.
Spectators and those responsible for the creation of the agreement gather to watch the signing of SDSU's cooperative agreement with University of Debrecen.
“Depending on how many students are able to come and take these classes and complete the requirements, that will provide more resources for our program and we can reach out to other countries in terms of how to share the knowledge that we develop here,†says Dr. Muthu.
Those in his department see the importance of advancing agriculture all over the world.
“It has been proved that precision practice improves yields, so with the goal of feeding 9 billion by 2050, we’re going to have to increase production,†says Nicholas Uilk, precision agriculture educator at SDSU. “… whether that’s here in South Dakota or globally.â€
Gabby Fink is an SDSU graduate with a degree in agricultural communications. She is an award winning journalist for the Volga Tribune and in 2022 served as a Tri-State Neighbor Youth Crop Watcher, sharing updates from her family’s farm in Plankinton, South Dakota.
