Students Study Irrigation Challenges in Ghana Adapted from Information by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Earlier this year, the University of Nebraska’s Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute and UNL’s Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance partnered to provide a unique spring break trip for a few special students. The Yeutter Student Fellows program started in 2020 as a way to help undergraduate students prepare for a variety of career paths in international trade policy. Each year, four students are selected through a competitive process based on their curiosity, motivation, resourcefulness, and interest in international trade. This year’s group consisted of Zanib Al Razaq, Lexi Bodlak, Matthew Gillespie, and Ethan Zen. In addition to focussing on critical thinking, teamwork, writing, and oral presentation skills, the students are also tasked with completing a team project for an external corporate partner - for the past three years, that partner has been Valmont Industries, an irrigation company based in Omaha. This year, the Yeutter Student Fellows were tasked with researching how to best meet the irrigation needs of Africa. Although they knew it would be a challenging task, what they didn’t know was their research would take them on an immersive experience to Ghana, to explore the potential in person. The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute was the Yeutter Institute’s first stop in finding experts to inform the fellows on irrigation utilization across Africa. The institute provided expert briefings on Ghana’s history, culture, economy, agriculture, and water resources. The students were then invited to Ghana to conduct hands-on research. “One of our institute’s key goals is to develop the next generation of water and food leaders,” said Nick Brozović, Director of Policy with the global institute. “In Ghana, we connected the Yeutter Student Fellows with our partners representing many different elements of agricultural value chains. Being able to travel alongside, and learn with, some of the best UNL students was a wonderful opportunity.” As the trip to Ghana approached, the focus of the project became clear. The students began to dig into Ghana’s social, economic, political, and agroecological (sustainable farming that works with nature) landscapes, gradually gaining an understanding of how all these areas affect the possibility of irrigation. “The trip to Ghana made our Valmont project feel real,” said Al Razaq, a junior economics and Spanish major. “Meeting farmers and seeing the impact of irrigation firsthand helped me better understand the importance of our work and approach it with more care and purpose.” During the weeklong journey, the students were able to meet with agricultural stakeholders, including farmers, government agencies, agricultural technology companies, and water management researchers. In addition to visiting fields, they were also able to discuss food and water security with local experts. “Having studied and researched in different African countries in the past, I have always enjoyed swapping farming stories and learning from the farmers I visit,” said Cheyenne Gerlach, Assistant Director of the Yeutter Institute, who grew up on a hog farm near Dewitt, Nebraska. “Growing food for your community is a kind of universal language, and watching the fellows engage with it and relate it to Nebraskan agriculture was invaluable.” The students used the insights gained during their Ghana study trip, along with additional research, to complete their team project for Valmont. Students were able to see a demonstration of two kinds of solar-powered water pumps in Ghana. Photo by David K. Bakayana courtesy of the Don Bosco Solar and Renewable Energy Center. WTR j Sand j Manholes j Bentonite j Filter Sock j Sampling Bailers j Clear PVC Pipe j Locking Caps Atlantic Screen & Mfg., Inc. Manufacturers of Slotted & Perforated Pipe Ranging from 1/2” to 24” in Diameter 302-684-3197 FAX 302-684-0643 142 Broadkill Rd j Milton, DE 19968 www.atlantic-screen.com e-mail:sales@atlantic-screen.com 19 AUGUST 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource®
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