About Us
The Research and Development wing of OIRED pursues a wide range of projects around the globe. Currently, OIRED has two primary projects: Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) and Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP). Both of these projects, which are sponsored by USAID, incorporate countries throughout the world.
OIRED also has several projects that are related to specific countries. Among other things, OIRED has partnered with the OTE Group to establish a science and technology-based university in Oman. OIRED is also working to strengthen the computer science program at Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haìti, a growing university in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and establish a center at the Institute of Forestry in Pokhara, Nepal.
Economic Benefits
Outreach efforts not only benefit the host country. Projects that help raise the standard of living in developing countries create markets for agricultural and consumer goods, providing jobs for many Americans. The internationalization of Virginia Tech has been a major priority since 1991. The university has become the leading research institution in the state, and the success of OIRED projects helps bring in financial support, personnel, and resources for the university.
Office Expertise
Agriculture
Traditionally, OIRED has worked in the field of agriculture, extending Virginia Tech's outreach mission to developing countries. It has helped with reforestation projects in Senegal, pest and pesticide management in Ukraine, agricultural restructuring in Albania, and natural resource management in Mali. Even as OIRED expands into development areas beyond agriculture, it continues to support innovative agricultural practices in such places as Guatemala, Ecuador, Uganda, Bangladesh, and Albania.
Biotechnology
OIRED is actively engaged in several biotechnology projects around the world. The office is working to expand the benefits of increased agricultural production and bio-safety of people in developing countries.
Example: Eggplant in India
For example, OIRED is engaged in a joint agreement with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in India to improve the production of eggplant, a major crop in India and Bangladesh. India is the second largest producer of vegetables in the world, yet much of India's eggplant crop is destroyed by insects, especially shoot and fruit borers. Add to this the fact that conventional breeding often fails in developing multiple pest and disease-resistant varieties of plants, and that excessive use of pesticides has created health and environmental problems.
This is where biotechnology can be helpful — addressing pest and breeding problems with a wide range of tactics including integrated pest management. Biotechnology has the potential to greatly reduce pesticide use and assist in the development of shoot and fruit borer-resistant eggplant
Gender
OIRED incorporates gender as an integral part of every project. Both women and men are encouraged to look at their roles in assessing problems, devising appropriate technologies, and implementing solutions. Study after study shows the failure of development projects that do not specifically target women.
Example: Farmer Field Schools in Mali
Despite doing more than 50% of all agricultural labor in much of sub-Saharan Africa, women have extremely limited access to technical expertise. This leads to lower agricultural production and over-enthusiastic use of pesticides, which increases environmental pollution, lowers food security, and affects related health issues.
The Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) project in Mali has developed farmer field schools for women. In farmer field schools, which are adjusted to the time and mobility constraints of women, participants learn to think and reason about agricultural principles.
The result is that women have become more self-reliant, analytical, and self-confident. The increased production at lower cost results in increased income and greater food security for the family. This leads to better health and educational opportunities for the children and a higher standard of living.