+1 862 207 3288 Interview an international GRADUATE student to learn about his/her country’s efforts to
increase food production, reduce population growth, and alleviate poverty. Then, write a
report summarizing what you have learned. If you are from a developing country, interview
someone from a developing country in another region of the world.
Interest Form: If you select this option, you must complete and turn in to me the “Indication of Interest”
form.
Grade Weight: Maximum of an additional 3 percentage points on your final grade.
Grading:
To receive full credit, you must thoughtfully cover all points in the outline. Points will be
deducted for poor grammar, spelling errors, and late papers.
Suggestions
Selecting a Student: Don’t be shy! International students are proud of their countries and like to tell others about
what life is like “back home”. Select a CANR GRADUATE student, since he/she is more likely to know about
the country’s agriculture that a student in another college. See me for assistance in selecting a student to
interview.
Scheduling the Interview. After I approve of the graduate student who you plan interview, you must e-mail
him/her to make an appointment for the interview. When you e-mail the student, describe your assignment and be
sure to mention that the interview will take less than one hour. Then, ask when you could meet with him/her, at
the interviewee’s convenience.
Preparing for the Interview. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your student’s country before conducting the
interview. The CIA’s World Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/) is a good
source of basic information about countries throughout the world. Not only will the student be impressed that you
know something about his/her country, but in addition the knowledge you gain will suggest questions that you
will want to ask the student. In addition, photocopy (or print) a map of the country and bring it along, so you can
refer to the map during the interview. Finally, be sure to review the report outline before conducting your
interview, so you will be familiar with the questions that you need to ask and information that you must include
in your report.
During the Interview. To obtain the information required for your report, you must to ask the several specific
questions, as described below. However, be flexible–let the student steer the conversation in interesting directions
and then return to the specific questions for which you must provide answers in your report. Also, listen for
interesting points that you can pursue with follow-up questions. If the student’s response is too brief, too general,
or you don’t understand his/her answer, ask for more information. It’s likely that the student won’t be able to
provide detailed information about all of the questions that you will ask him/her. That’s OK, you are only
interested in getting his/her opinion, regarding answers to these questions. At the end of the interview, be sure to
thank the student for meeting with you.
Report Outline
Your report must: 1) provide an overview of the country, 2) discuss the country’s major food, population, and
poverty problems, 3) provide information on recent changes in the country (including successes in increasing food
production, reducing population growth, and reducing poverty), and 4) discuss the prospects for–and constraints
to–solving the country’s food, population and poverty problems. It’s unlikely that the person that you will
interview will know statistical data about his/her country. Before the interview, obtain statistical data about your
country from the World Bank’s publication, World Development Report (available in the library or on the internet)
or the CIA’s World Factbook.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR REPORT
You must follow the format, exactly as outlined below. Be sure to include the number and title of all main
sections and all subsections. Each section must provide the information requested. The minimum length is six
typed, double-spaced pages. Use 1″ margins and a standard font (11 or 12 pt.).
Cover Page:
Your Name:
Selected Country:
Name of Student Interviewed:
Student’s Department at MSU:
Student’s Job Back Home:
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
Main Report:
I. Overview of (your country) (4 pages)
Describe the country’s:
1. Development Status: What is the country’s current per capita GDP and its annual rate of GDP increase?
2. Climate. What is the country’s annual rainfall, main growing seasons, temperature, and topography?
3. Agriculture. What are the main crops grown? What proportion of the farmers are subsistence and what
proportion are commercial farmers? What inputs do farmers use to grow their crops?
4. Food Problems. What are the country’s main food problems? Who are the hungry?
5. Increasing Food Production. What is the government/NGOs doing to encourage farmers to adopt new
agricultural technologies and increase food production? How successful have these programs been?
6. Population. What is the country’s current population and what is its annual rate of increase? What is the
government/NGOs doing to reduce population growth? How successful have these programs been?
7. Access. What groups have not benefitted from previous development programs (e.g., women, minorities,
the landless)? What is the government/NGOs doing to assist these groups? How successful have these
programs been?
8. Health. What are the country’s major health problems? What is the government/NGOs doing to solve
these problems? How successful have these programs been?
9. Environment. What are the country’s major environmental problems? What is the government/NGOs
doing to solve these problems? How successful have these programs been?
10. Policies. What are the major economic policies that the government is implementing to promote
development? How successful have these programs been?
11. Trade. What are the country’s major exports? For what types of products is the government trying to
increase exports?
12. Foreign Aid. What countries provide foreign aid? How is the aid used? Has aid helped the country?
13. Poverty. Who are the poor, why are they poor, and where do they live?
II. Recent Changes in (your country) (1 page)
What are the most important changes that have occurred in the country during the past 10 years, including
positive and negative changes?
III. Major Problems Facing (your country) (1/2 page)
What are the major problems facing the country that limit people’s livelihoods? What must the government,
NGO, and/or donors do in the future to solve these problems (i.e., improve the lives of the country’s citizens)?
IV. Prospects for the Future (1/2 page).
1. What are the prospects for solving the problems identified in section III over the next ten years?
2. What are the main constraints to solving these problems (they may be economic, social, or political)?
