Agricultural Economists in Overseas Development Assistance and the Impact Upon U.S. Universities

Abstract

SEVERAL studies have appraised technical assistance programs abroad, with the works of Adams and Garraty [1], Weidner [10], and Cleveland, Mangone, and Adams [4] among the best known. Agri. cultural economists have recognized the need to make international work a part of the profession but have expressed concern over the impact of university-AID contract program involvement on the U.S. university and the professional careers of individuals. Several articles have appeared in this journal, and Association presidential addresses have often pointed up problems in international assistance [2, 6, 11]. A research team commissioned by Education and World Affairs to study international programs of five major universities called for evaluation: time is long past for a thorough analysis and assessment of what the university contract system has and has not accomplished toward overseas development goals and toward the academic development of American institutions [5, p. 272]. The three-year CIC-AID Rural Development Research Project that was completed in June 1968 has attempted to do this for the university agricultural AID contracts. The University of Illinois part of this project has emphasized the impacts on U.S. universities, the results of which are reported elsewhere [9]. It is the purpose of this paper to focus on the role of agricultural economists in university-AID contract projects and assess the impacts of this involvement on U.S. universities.