Urban Ag / CEA Travel

Urban / CEA Agriculture Travel

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The Urban/ CEA Agriculture team travels often and far to collaborate with researchers, learn from others, and present at renowed research conferences. The team works together to ensure that they interact and engage with researchers and professionals in the Controlled environment agriculture sector. They provide professional development and networking opportunities.

Charleston, South Carolina 

The urban/ CEA Ag team recently visited Charleston, South Carolina, to tour the USDA Vegetable Laboratory. They were able to learn from horticulture and CEA research leaders and discuss the future of soilless agriculture. They networked with many professionals in the filed of CEA.

Learn more about these intatives below: 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/southeast-area/charleston-sc/vegetable-research/ 

The Urban Ag team was also able to tour freight farm research containers a private company Ampliied Ag in Charleston, Sc. They learned so much about CEA intatives and how to grow many foods in a small vertical space with controlled settings.

Learn more about their intatives below: 

https://amplifiedaginc.com/ 

Toledo, Ohio

The Urban CEA Ag team recently traveled to the University of Toledo to learn from the CEA lab and ARS team. They were able to learn about vertical farming and growth chamber horticulture. They also ennaged with the lab team and learned about analysis and lab processes for data collection. 

Wooster, Ohio 

The Urban/ CEA Ag team recently travels to the Ohio State University in Wooster Ohio to collaborate with the USDA Agriculture research service sites. Two graduate students, Dr. Adeyeye and Richard Kabanda, work hard on their thesis research on watercress and upland cress in deep water culture and NFT hydroponic systems at the Ohio State University Williams Greenhouse. The graduate students will showcase their findings at their thesis defense and American Society for Horticulture Science ASHS conference in New Orleans this July. They will also publish their findings at renowed horticulture journals soon. 

Wilsons Nurseries, Frankfort Kentucky 

The urban ag students and staff recently visited Wilsons Plant Nursery in Frankfort, KY where they toured the greenhouse facilties and retail spaces. They were able to learn about horticulture  business and greenhouse production methods. They were also able to learn about how plants are produced and cared for in controlled environment spaces. They hope to work more with the local business to learn more about horticulture and urban agriculture production.  

Learn more below: 

https://www.wilsonnurseriesky.com/frankfort 

Food Chain, Lexington Kentucky 

The urban ag students and staff were able take a personal tour of Food Chain Inc. in Lexington, KY. Food Cahin produces fish, shrimp, and fresh veggies at their aquaponics operation. The Food Chain  facilty focuses on urban agriculture and sustainable food production. They works closey with the Kentucky State University aquaculture resrach center where they acquire many research materials and fish. The students learned how aquaponic and hydroponic systems operate and the natural fertilization process from fish wate to plant food. They were also able to get the food to plate experience and have a meal at Food Chain's partner restaurant Smithtown Seafood. They incorporate local ingredients from KY and the Food Chain Facilty in their foods. 

Learn more below: 

https://foodchainlex.org/ 

https://smithtownseafood.com/ 

Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana 

KYSU Urban AG and other KYSU Students Embark on Educational Tour to Purdue University. A group of undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources of Kentucky State University recently visited one of the top research institutions, Purdue University, as part of a four-day educational tour from May 27 to 30 aimed at enhancing academic exposure and practical hands-on experience.

The tour included visits to Controlled Environment Facilities for Horticulture and Agronomy, Food Science Labs, the Phenotyping Center, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Beck’s Ag Center, Agronomy Center, Horticulture Research Farms, and Animal Science Farms. During the visit, the students observed the modern innovative research advancing agricultural activities and actively interacted with Purdue faculty and researchers.

A total of twenty-five students, thirteen faculty, and staff members from KSU participated in this tour. The objective of this tour was to expose students to different learning environments so that they could gain deeper insights into innovations in modern agriculture.

''I was overwhelmed with information and visuals of machines and things that I didn't understand were even created,” said junior Psychology and Social Work major Ms. Shaneice Brown. Another participating fresman, Agriculture, Food and Environment major Mr. Megrael Ngudia, stated, "It was an eye-opening experience that highlighted the importance of research and what can be done when a large number of resources are available for research."

Further, an undergraduate agribusiness student, Dshia Turner, explained, "A fun fact about the farming industry is they have such a good system, from what I have seen, that their combination with the technology and engineering industries has resulted in a variety of inventions to help and understand the wildlife or the food production, consequently reducing the amount of labor that is required on the farm."

“I was especially impressed by the scale of investment and the depth of innovation in agricultural sciences at Purdue. This experience has equipped me with new ideas, knowledge, and motivation that I’m looking forward to applying in my academic and research,’’ said Sudha Bhandari, a graduate student.

''I was able to get access to and connect with relevant professors in my research interest, and they gave me insights into what to do next for my future academic career,'' shared Prabina Bhujel, a participating student.

The tour created a lasting impact on students at various levels, who found the experience valuable in separate ways.

In addition to the visit, the tour provided practical takeaways for students in shaping their understandings of agricultural innovation.

Eric Murwanashyaka, a graduate student stated, "The trip to Purdue renewed my belief in the importance of integrating digital technology into agriculture to enhance crop productivity and ensure better harvests."

''The experience was not only insightful but truly transformative. From advanced laboratories to expansive research farms and high-tech facilities, every aspect of their agricultural program reflects a dedication to solving real-world problems,'' stated Mona Bhandari, a graduate student.

The KSU faculty and staff, including Drs. Buddhi R. Gyawali, Maheteme Gebremedhin, Jyotica Batra, Theoneste Nzaramyimana, Liang Yu, and Ms. Cora Teets, met with Dr. Bernie Engel, Dean of Agriculture, and Dr. Ron Turco, Associate Dean of Agricultural Research and Graduate Education, to discuss future collaboration. Dr. Gyawali, KSU professor of Geospatial Technology and Environment stated that “Building on the momentum of this visit, KSU further plans to collaborate with Purdue University, including student and faculty summer internships, use of Purdue's research labs and fields for KSU graduate and faculty research, and collaborative grant development for extending Purdue's research to Eastern Kentucky in studying impacts of surface coal mines, landscape restoration, and economic development.”.

The trip was funded by a USDA/AFRI grant- Enhancing Productivity, Diversification, and Sustainability by Infusing Geospatial Technology in Small and Medium-Sized Farms, (Award # 2019-68006-29330 (Project Director, Dr. Buddhi R. Gyawali).

Learn more below: 

https://www.state-journal.com/education/kentucky-state-students-discover-the-future-of-farming-isnt-what-they-expected/article_9a84e3f0-28b7-4269-87c3-940405cc017d.html 

https://www.kysu.edu/news/2025/06/ksu-future-of-farming.php

Urban/ CEA Ag Team Conferences