Rounding Out A Food Science Degree with an International Agriculture Class
Jessica Hof, M.S. Food Science
Email: jessica.hof@unilever.com

Not many college courses offer a classroom that encompasses students sitting on two different continents and a mid-semester assignment to travel to the other side of the globe. That’s why I jumped on the opportunity to take Cornell’s International Agriculture of Developing Nations class and travel to India in January 2006. I had never taken a class in the International Agriculture department before, and having grown up in a suburban neighborhood, I had my concerns about the appropriateness of this course in my degree and my own preparation for the class. I was pleasantly surprised.

I learned there is so much more to international agriculture than seeds and global politics; although those are a part of it. I also learned a great deal about India’s culture and how their beliefs affect farming practices, what crops are grown, and who tends the farms.

The structure of the class alone was a testament to how much diversity the course offered. On several occasions during the semester, Cornell students teleconferenced with students from three universities in India, all channeling in from different sites. In addition to the diversity of students, each class covered a different lecture topic. The subject matter ranged from multi-cropping systems to biotechnology in food to community gardens, and each lecture was taught by a different professor. The truly worthwhile part of the course, however, was the two and a half week trip to southern India over winter break.

After our first semester of International Agriculture studies, the Cornell contingent of the class flew from the wintry chill of New York to the balmy heat of Chennai. We arrived in India after a full day of travel and were welcomed with white Jasmine necklaces as we entered our hotel. Our rooms were quiet and lonely the first night, but at 7:30 AM the next morning (who knows what that translated to in our jet-lagged, 10 ½ hours ahead of Eastern time bodies?), we were awakened by our Indian roommates. Most Cornell students were paired with an Indian student with whom we would room for the duration of the trip, only enhancing the cultural exchange of the trip.

My roommate Vani, short for Kaliavani, and I immediately discovered our cultural differences. She found it funny that I was taking an anti-malarial pill during the “dry season,” and I found it funny that she ate Indian food for breakfast (a custom I quickly adopted myself). I also discovered how much agriculture is integrated into so many parts of India’s society. My first indication was the background of an Indian music video; I noticed the performer was singing and dancing through a field of tea leaves. Later that day, as we strolled about the streets of Chennai, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the number of fruit and vegetable vendors around every corner.

The larger group (Cornell students, Indian students, and professors alike) was divided into smaller theme-based groups, of which I chose “Food Processing and Global Markets.” Our first trip together was to the Koyambedu Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market, one of the largest markets in India. We started at the leaf market, where we saw a variety of spices, including curry leaves. The 620-acre market had hundreds of vendors with each commodity in a different section. Everything was very colorful and bustling in the market. Walkways were traced by fruit and vegetable parts (leaves, roots, and peels), but delectable goods were neatly stacked in towers and pyramids in front of vendor stands. We stopped at several vendors’ booths that were office-like, as they explained to us about the export and sales of their goods. Many vendors offered us samples of their produce to try, along with the customary cup of tea or cookie.

Later that day, we met the Chief Advising Officer of the state’s Agriculture Department where we learned about another side of the fruit and vegetable markets. We were told that over 100 tons of waste was produced every day, and it was taken to a waste facility to be burned and used for energy. This inefficient use of energy creates a great deal of pollution, which we later witnessed at the waste facility.

Continuing with our food market theme, the next day our group visited the manager of India’s only supermarket chain, Spencer’s, where we toured a grocery store inside the local mall. We were surprised to learn that the majority of food is purchased from small retail stores and outdoor markets. The grocery store is a relatively new concept in India. That evening, we had dinner at the innovative restaurant, Aiwo, one that prided itself on being competitively hygienic as well as fashionably healthy. We helped ourselves to tapas-size plates of Indian, Thai, and Chinese cuisine, each made using beneficial oils, an abundance of vegetables, and healthy cooking methods.

Our next stop was Hyderabad, where we stayed at the International Crop Research Institute of the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). We visited the Agriculture University in Hyderabad and saw the Food and Nutrition Department. Many projects at the university involved protein-added foods and post-harvest technology, two major hurdles in India’s food system. The students from this university were eager to show us around and teach us about their studies. The day concluded with a conference of all the theme groups, debating viewpoints and solutions to a variety of topics discussed throughout the trip thus far.

Halfway through the trip, we had an experience we will never forget. We went to a farming village, one that ICRISAT had been aiding for a few years. After interacting with village children and seeing the extensive water shed, we saw an elaborate composting system, complete with earthworms and animal waste. We then toured the serene crop fields, learning about flowers and tasting exotic fruit. It was a full day of interaction with the people in the small Hyderabad village. We learned that ICRISAT had improved their lives in so many ways: improving the school system, the sanitation of the water, and the health of their children and animals. To top off a great day, we were entertained by a group of traditional Indian singers, musicians, and dancers. We enjoyed their performance as we had dinner by a bonfire.

The next day we flew to Cochin, in the coastal state of Kerala. Our view from the hotel was breathtaking, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we had an evening boat cruise, complete with music and dancing by students and professors alike! During the day, we visited the spice factory, where we experienced a slight stinging and some sneezing from the intense Indian spices in the air. The city was filled with spice vendors, all very excited to explain the spices and what dishes can be made from them.

Our last trip with the group was to Calicut. We visited another farming village, but this one was much different. The tropical climate in Kerala afforded plantations where we saw rubber trees, coconuts, vanilla, and beetlenuts. We even tasted extremely hot peppers that were no larger than a pea. We celebrated our final days with a dinner gala, for which many of the females wore custom-made saris. Indian students helped the Cornell students get ready, trying to dress us in traditional Indian attire. We all enjoyed the sword fighting entertainment and said our farewells. It was sad to leave India, the friendships we had made, and the wealth of knowledge that we gained. As we had our final meal of curry rice, lentils, naan, and ice cream and ascended the plane for our trip home, I knew this was the best “midterm” I could ever ask for.