Central Africa is a long way from home for a Beaver Local graduate.
"I never once thought about going. It was not like a lifelong dream or part of a plan," says John Huston. But life, sometimes, makes plans on its own.
After graduating from Mississippi State with a degree in Animal Science, John Huston moved with his career around the U.S. Then a few years ago, he made the trip to Rwanda to help protect the health of the endangered mountain gorillas.
John says, "Looking at basic agriculture practices to see where there were opportunities to make improvements; to make adjustments and changes that would help break some of those links in the chain for disease transmission."
The organization that brought him over to Africa, the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, decided to hire him permanently. Now his main job is to develop sustainable practices for farmers in the once war torn country and establish demonstration farms, similar to the agricultural extension services here in the states.
Huston says the country, which is trying to rebuild, actually resembles the U.S. back in the early 1900's, 85 to 90 percent rely directly on the land for food. John adds, "And there's a lot of opportunity and potential to move forward as some of the industries develop and some of the issues of public health and human nutrition, as some of those issues are overcome." By teaching the best and safest way to harvest food, those goals can be attained....thanks to the dedication of this Beaver Local grad.
