This special initiative partnership helped build an integrated agricultural field research, extension, and graduate education program in Mali. The partners developed stronger links between teaching and research through an Agribusiness Incubator Center, joint research projects, and shared teaching and dissemination programs. Seven junior and senior faculty members from IER and IPR/IFRA received long-term scholarships for Master’s level study and training via a “sandwich” program in soil microbiology, potato disease management, tomato disease management, business communications, entrepreneurship, water quality, seed physiology, and agriculture and extension education.

The faculty members returned to Mali to initiate new research projects, establish the Agribusiness Incubator Center in Bamako, and become part of the teaching/mentoring faculty at their respective institutions. The Center officially opened in September 2007. It aimed to attract entrepreneurs particularly focused on shea butter production and export, certified seed potato export the improvement of food security through reduced post-harvest loss due to pest damage, the enhancement of low lysine diets, and the improvement of water quality and availability. Throughout the collaboration, the partners mindfully balanced technological advances and traditional values.