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AGRICULTURE, COMMUNITY & NATURAL RESOURCES (ACNR) / LAND GRANT PROGRAMS

Mission

To serve American Samoa’s diverse community by providing research, extension and educational programs and services in agriculture, natural resources and wellness, enhancing the quality of life and fragile ecosystem while honoring the Fa’aSamoa (the Samoan way).

In 1981, ASCC was designated a Land Grant College. Federal funds were provided to develop programs in agriculture, family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development, and forestry. The three major components of the program are Instruction, Extension, and Research.

Instruction

At ASCC, the post-secondary agricultural related educational programs are part of the Department of Agriculture Community and Natural Resources. Program offerings include the Associate of Science degree in General Agriculture, Agribusiness, Family and Consumer Sciences and Natural Resources. The degrees are designed to prepare the students for on-island positions in these fields as well as for transfer to off-island schools.

Extension

The Cooperative Extension Service offers non-formal education and learning activities in the community. The Extension agents work closely with the community including farmers, homemakers, and youth in rural and urban areas as well as government and civic agencies. There are four main Cooperative Extension programs: Agriculture, Family and Consumer Science, 4-H Youth Development and Forestry. The Extension program emphasizes the knowledge gained through research and education to create positive change.

Research

The Hatch Act authorized by Congress in 1887, stipulates the establishment of agricultural experiment stations in connection with Land Grant colleges to conduct scientific investigations and experiments to provide practical and useful information in publishing bulletins or reports of progress. As a beneficiary of this Act, the Research division of ACNR adheres to these guidelines. ACNR researchers in Agriculture, Horticulture, Aquaculture, Forestry, Nutrition Entomology, Plant Pathology, Soil and Water Science, Childhood Obesity, Health Communications and Wellness work closely with their counterparts in the Extension division. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) unit of ACNR supports both Research and Extension. Nutrition, wellness, and health communications are also part of the ASCC ACNR Wellness Center that opened in April 2013.

All ACNR research is tied to the Extension component, and the two work hand in hand in ways tailored specifically for the environment, economy, and culture of American Samoa. The researchers apply rigorous scientific standards to develop and adapt practical knowledge that will benefit the health of American Samoa’s people and natural resources into the future.

Please click here to visit ACNR/Land Grant's website.