University of Nevada, Reno Extension has appointed Andrew Waaswa as Extension agricultural educator. He will provide tailored educational programs to help area farmers boost productivity, meet financial goals and adopt sustainable practices.

With over a decade of experience advancing dryland farming and analyzing agricultural needs in East Africa, Waaswa’s top priority is to collaborate with local farmers, agricultural leaders and Extension faculty to conduct comprehensive needs assessments, focusing particularly on Churchill, Mineral and Pershing counties. The findings will drive the creation of targeted educational resources aimed at improving sustainable farming; streamlining agricultural practices; and enhancing access to technical support, new markets and financial support.

“I’m excited to bring my years of experience in dryland farming to support these three agricultural communities in rural Nevada,” Waaswa said. "My aim is to create an open, collaborative environment where farmers can access the latest research, seek solutions to existing challenges, and engage in productive dialogue to continuously refine their practices and achieve long-term success.”

Waaswa plans to work with Extension staff to develop and implement tailored educational programs, which may include field demonstrations, field day events, workshops and classroom lectures. w88 casino gamesThey will address commonly faced challenges by local farmers and integrate technical information to promote best practices in dryland farming and expand market opportunities.

He previously worked as a dryland farming educator in Africa, which also included serving as a community liaison for the World Bank-funded Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project. In this role he helped farmers in the arid and semi-arid regions of west-central Kenya and northern Uganda adopt improved dryland potato varieties and promote sustainable agriculture. He also served as a farm manager and later as an agronomist for Allgreen Agro Africa, providing management services to small-scale farmers in southeastern Uganda. Additionally, Waaswa worked as a community agricultural organizer and service learner coordinator for an agricultural exchange program between Iowa State University and Makerere University in Uganda.

Before joining the University, Waaswa served for three years as an assistant with the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission Agricultural Leadership Development Program under the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North w88 casinoCarolina State University. In this role, he developed, coordinated and evaluated the effectiveness of leadership training programs for agricultural professionals and midcareer farmers venturing in different agricultural commodities. He also worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southeast Climate Hub through the Climate Leaders Program of North Carolina State University as a resource assistant, where he developed an educational program to help producers build resilience to climate-related challenges.

“Andrew’s extensive background in needs assessments and sustainable farming practices will be invaluable as we work to support the agricultural communities in Churchill, Mineral and Pershing counties,” said Holly Gatzke, Extension northern area director. “We are very excited to have him on our team of Extension educators.”

Waaswa earned his doctorate in agricultural and extension education from North w88 casinoCarolina State University. He also holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural and rural innovation from Makerere University in Uganda and a master’s degree in agricultural extension from Egerton University in Kenya.