BioAg Engineering Department Head addresses 'Grand Challenges' at Africa conference

Photo Submitted

Lalit Verma, head of the department of biological and agricultural engineering, gave a keynote presentation on the importance of engineering last month to government and education leaders from across Africa.

Verma's remarks were given at the inaugural meeting of the Pan-African Society for Agricultural Engineering in Nairobi, Kenya in late March.

The presentation focused on the important role biological and agricultural engineering plays in addressing the grand challenges of food, energy and water security. The issues are especially pressing for many African nations.

Verma said biological and agricultural engineers can play a unique role in meeting a crucial need as the global population continues to grow. According to the United Nations, the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050, with 26 African nations expected to double in size in that timeframe.

 "The interdisciplinary approach and hands-on training embedded in agricultural and biological engineering training, positions us to design systems to solve complex problems at the nexus of Food-Energy-Water (FEW), while embracing entrepreneurship and utilizing a systems approach," Verma said.  He pointed to the white paper Global Partnerships for Global Solutions: An Agricultural and Biological Engineering Global Initiative, developed by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), as a guide to understand these goals and objectives under the overarching umbrella of sustainability and climate challenges.

Verma's presentation was titled "Agricultural and Biological Engineering for a Sustainable World: ASABE's Global Initiative: Vision, Goals, and Outcomes."