Research Platform
Rapid Appraisals
Rapid appraisals of constraints and opportunities involving more than 120 sheep-owning and beef cattle-owning households in Yucatán were conducted in 2004-05 by a Cornell-UADY research team including two UADY undergraduate students, Claudia López and Andrés Calderón. These household survey activities yielded valuable data to better frame research priorities and to design student research projects at both universities. The sheep system survey was led by David Parsons, a Cornell graduate student in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.
Besides providing fundamental information, a 63-household survey of beef cattle producers (in Tizimín, Panabá and Peto) serendipitously fostered unanticipated constructive criticism from producers about how the UADY may better help them. Farmers said they needed a portfolio of effective technologies, information on how to use them, and tailored short courses in their own communities - each of these stated needs suggested a clear role for UADY. Priority technical issues included the management of costs of production, alleviation of productivity constraints, marketing, and credit.
The TIES research platform is a mechanism, naturally linked with the teaching platform, for integrating efforts among three groups of collaborators: UADY students, Mexican graduate students at Cornell University funded through our TIES project, and other Cornell graduate students. Currently, seven UADY students and four Cornell students contribute to the TIES research platform.
