MSU Extension World Food Prize Michigan Youth Institute

After embarking on her first World Food Prize experience nearly 10 years ago through Michigan 4-H, Francine Barchett, of Benton Harbor, has been selected to serve a two-year term as a youth representative on the World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors. The selection to the committee is just one of Barchett’s many accomplishments in the World Food Prize and food security space.

“4-H got me thinking not just about myself, but also my community and my world,” said Barchett. “When the World Food Prize’s theme of world hunger fell on my lap, I wanted to know: how can I be part of the solution?”

Barchett’s success began in 2015 when she first attended the World Food Prize Michigan Youth Institute (WFPMIYI), a one-day event where high school students present research and recommendations on how to address a key global issue: food security. Her project was focused on the country of Yemen and how educating women and introducing agricultural extension systems could transform the lives of rural communities, despite civilian conflicts.

After her initial involvement, Barchett’s participation with the World Food Prize continued to grow. In 2016, Barchett was named a World Food Prize Borlaug-Ruan Intern to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in India. Then in 2017, she received the World Food Prize Elaine Szymoniak Award at the World Food Prize Laureate Ceremony in recognition of her research in India. She has also volunteered her time at the New York, Michigan and Global youth institutes, mentoring younger participants.

“Transitioning to college, the World Food Prize laid the foundation for me to thrive,” Barchett stated. Through the program, she discovered careers in the food and agriculture industry and learned about universities and their academic programs. “During the summer between my high school senior year and college freshman year, I studied how national sanitation campaigns influenced maternal and child health outcomes as a World Food Prize Borlaug-Ruan Intern in India. I feel that this substantive experience gave me an early advantage over many of my peers, leading to professional and international opportunities I would not have had otherwise.”

Barchett’s continued her education began at Cornell University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in International Agriculture and Rural Development with minors in Southeast Asian Studies and Development Sociology and a concentration in economics. She later earned a Master of Professional Studies in Global Development with a concentration in Data Analytics, also from Cornell.

“When I completed my undergraduate degree, I had traveled to nearly 20 countries, most for research and study experiences that looked at food security issues through a social science lens,” said Barchett.

Currently, Barchett is a PhD candidate at Cornell’s Center for Conservation Social Sciences. She is also a research fellow at the African Wildlife Economy Institute at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, as well as a Brettschneider Fellow at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Her PhD dissertation is on the cultural components and consumer preferences for hunting in Africa’s wildlife economy. As part of this work, Barchett considers the nutritional, culinary and food security contributions of wild game within the southern African marketplace.

In her new role as a member of the World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors, Barchett and others will select individuals to serve as members of the Laureate Selection Committee, review and ratify the choice of the Laureate(s) each year, and provide input and guidance on World Food Prize Foundation programs and special projects. In addition, Barchett hopes to help diversify who and what are represented by the foundation by developing resources and tools for underrepresented communities and students to participate in World Food Prize programming. She also hopes to add value to the premier annual global food security meeting, the Borlaug Dialogue, by sharing her research on the importance of ethical and sustainable harvests of wild plants and game. These types of harvests have a smaller environmental footprint and occur in partnership with local traditions and she hopes to grow “wild” topics into a bigger part of the dialogue’s conversations.

“Ms. Barchett's appointment to the World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors is a tremendous accomplishment and, as an alumna of Michigan 4-H and the WFPMIYI, we could not be more proud of her outstanding achievement,” said Brian Wibby, co-coordinator of the WFPMIYI and Michigan State University Extension educator. “I am confident that Ms. Barchett's significant international experiences and expertise, along with her longstanding efforts to expand opportunities for youth to engage in critical efforts to build a more equitable, healthy and sustainable global food system will add great value to the work being done by World Food Prize Foundation.”

Barchett credits her success with the World Food Prize to her start in Michigan 4-H, where she learned public speaking and engagement skills, as well as how to network and share information with others. She highly encourages others to participate in the WFPMIYI, which is open to youth in grades 7-12.

“When you start your day at the WFPMIYI, my advice is simple: meet someone who is different from you,” said Barchett. “Maybe it’s a student from another part of the state, or it’s a guest speaker whose job is a profession you’ve never even thought about before. Ask them questions! Share something too. We live in a very polarized country and world, but when it comes to solving big global challenges, we must embrace our differences and work together. There’s no better place to start than with other people who want to make sure everyone has enough food to eat. Oh, and have fun too!”

The WFPMIYI is held annually in May and is hosted by Michigan 4-H and Michigan State University. To learn more, visit the WFPMIYI website. To learn more about joining 4-H, visit extension.msu.edu/4H.