Taryn Devereux provides strategic visioning and general support to the AGNR International Programs and Natural Resources Office, and has led multiple international programs for the college. She has worked in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Liberia and elsewhere, and is a mentor to the Global Classrooms Program on campus. We spoke with her about current approaches to working in developing countries.
How has the thrust of international development work evolved in the last few decades?
Much of the work conducted by national agencies and international multilaterals is still driven by security and market interests, but there’s a lot more consciousness about ways in which aid efforts can cause harm and inadvertently replicate different forms of neocolonialism.
There is also relatively more recognition of needing to involve local actors and communities for long term sustainability and effectiveness. But there's still a long way to go.
What is the benefit of working toward interests that aren’t directly supporting U.S. markets or security?
I do believe that global problems like climate change need global solutions, and that's where institutions like universities and other research groups can play an important role. Through partnerships, we can shift more to a collaborative model of learning from each other as opposed to the interventional approach, which has been sort of the norm.
Can you give an example of what you mean?
I was teaching a global classroom where students from UMD and a university in Liberia were working together to develop Extension activities for local farmers in the Liberian school region. During one of the group discussions, the Liberians asked, ‘well, what are you doing in your community?’ And that was an important realization for the American students that there's plenty of work to be done here in PG County, plenty of people who are food insecure, and plenty of farmers who could use extra support.
It’s about shifting from this idea that the American model is perfect, and we should just export all of our expertise to other places, and instead thinking more about how we can learn from each other.
At AGNR’s recent networking workshop on international programs you co-led a session on Fairtrade Learning Principles. What is that?
It’s a framework for developing and evaluating the quality of cross- cultural partnerships that prioritizes reciprocity in relationships. Just one example would be in terms of transparency. Typically, if you're working with an international partner, the primary awardee makes all the funding decisions, and sometimes a local partner doesn't even know how much money is in the grant. I had gotten some funding for the global classroom, and it was important to me to sit down with my faculty counterpart in Liberia to discuss the budget, what was available, and what they needed. Opening up those kinds of conversations makes it much more collaborative.
Can you offer some tips for someone preparing to work in international development?
I think a lot of people who want to work in international development imagine themselves getting on a plane and going somewhere. But it’s important to think more broadly. There's plenty of ways through virtual exchange or even getting involved in your own community that you can put these principles to work. We don't live in a monolithic society, and there are a lot of opportunities for cultural exchanges, language exchanges right here at home.
But whether you travel or stay at home, I think taking time to listen and understand the people and the place you’re working in is important. Having humility and an open mind, being flexible and adaptive, are the most important traits.
by Kimbra Cutlip : Momentum Magazine Summer 2024
