Belchim Crop Protection USA (Belchim USA) has announced it has awarded a $2,000 LACA Scholarship in conjunction with the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association to Peters Egbedi, a Louisiana State University doctoral student in agronomy. This is the third year in which Belchim USA and the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association have come together to honor students based on academic achievement, leadership qualities, and active research in row crop agriculture.
Innovation in agriculture is a necessary component of the industry’s future success. Belchim USA prides itself on this ideal, and what better way than through the bright minds of our next leaders. Dennis Long, National Technical Service & Development Manager for Belchim USA says, “It is an honor to pass the torch to other inspiring and inquiring minds. As a LACA scholarship recipient myself, I know firsthand how important such efforts are by the industry in helping to carve out a future career. I am glad we are able to take part once again in this prestigious effort.”
The award recipient, Peters Egbedi, is no stranger to the world of agriculture. Growing up in an agrarian community, Egbedi spent his childhood alongside his parents, working the land and tending to various farm activities. It was during this time that he experienced firsthand what great crop yield loss felt like. As with many bright minds, rather than let it deter him, he set out on a path to solve the problem. Egbedi first earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, then a Master’s degree in Environment, Health, and Safety from the University of Sunderland, United Kingdom. We now find Egbedi venturing into his third degree, a doctorate in agronomy with a focus on cover crops and conservation tillage as sustainable crop production practices for improving soil health and crop productivity. He hopes that he adds to the noble goal of achieving food security in a sustainable manner through such research.
“Our industry requires ingenuity and passion; it not an enterprise for those easily dissuaded. For all of us here at Belchim USA, it is exciting to award this scholarship to such a mind as Mr. Egbedi’s. His determination is what will deliver lasting innovation for agriculture and our world,” concludes Long.
Belchim is no stranger to investing in students and nurturing their passion for the industry. The company and the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC), as part of the Foundation for Environmental Agriculture Education (FEAE), recently awarded two scholarships to students destined to raise the bar in agricultural science in the future. This was the second installment in a three-year commitment by Belchim USA to fund scholarship programs for the FEAE. For more information on this scholarship and the LACA scholarship, visit www.thefeae.org or www or https://laca1.org/.
