Duncan M. Chembezi

Director, Deep South Usda-fsa Land Access Consortium @Alabama A&m University

Huntsville, AL, US

The Small Farms Research Center at Alabama A&M University is collaborating with Alcorn State, Fort Valley State, Tennessee State, Southern, and Auburn Universities, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, National Center for Appropriate Technology, and other community-based organizations to assist underserved limited resource farmers and forest landowners in the Deep South (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee). The future of farming among minority populations in the Deep South rests in part on families successfully passing on forest and farmland to the next generation in ways that position the next generation for success. However, limited resource and minority farmers in the region face many barriers and challenges to accessing land, capital, and other opportunities, and to succeeding in farming. This regional consortium will help farm families and underserved farmers jumpstart their planning, so they have closer family bonds and pride in the future they are giving their forest and farmland. This consortium emphasizes technical assistance, experience-based training, and mentoring support programs centered around equitable access to land, capital, produce markets, federal programs, and other opportunities.

Livingstonia Secondary School

MCE Certificate - High School Diploma

University of Missouri-Columbia

M.S.

University of MALAWI, Bunda College of Agriculture

BSc.

University of Missouri-Columbia

Ph.D.