International Agricultural Development Program Builds for the Future

Anywhere in the world, food travels through many steps: From the university research lab to the farmer’s field, from warehouse to processing plant, from grocery store to our plates and, for some of it, to the waste bin beyond. In the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, leaders of the already well-established field of international agricultural development are positioning the department’s program to address the needs of people at each of those steps, both in the United States and around the world.

All those steps together are called a “food system,” and the idea is getting a lot of attention. 

For more than 60 years, UC Davis has offered a world-leading Master of Science degree in international agricultural development. Now, program leaders aim to push it to the forefront of food systems work at a global level and create new connections for students, UC Davis, other universities, government agencies and international organizations.

“The real strength of this program is its interdisciplinary nature,” said Cameron Pittelkow, a faculty leader for the program and an associate professor in the department. “Students take courses and conduct research from the perspective of the whole system, connecting agriculture with all the other pieces that are necessary for change.

“That’s a big part of its success over the years – graduates are ready to handle this complexity and develop creative solutions. It’s not easy, but we have heard from alumni in leadership positions around the world, that’s what makes a difference,” added Pittelkow, who earned a master’s degree in IAD from the program in 2010.

Students interested in a career in international agricultural development are invited to learn more by attending Global Food Systems Day on Oct. 26 on campus. Hosted by the department’s IAD graduate program and UC Davis Global Affairs, the event will welcome prospective students and bring together IAD faculty to explore the university’s role in advancing healthy, productive food systems around the world. Learn more here.

Building on this strong history, the program is taking new steps to formalize connections with leading global organizations and build an active advisory board. Program leaders also are developing a professional model for students’ capstone project, in which they apply the knowledge and skills they learn in the program to real-world problems. All this will further strengthen career pathways for graduates in global agriculture and sustainable food systems.

Leading the effort is Erin McGuire, the program’s new executive director. Also a graduate of the IAD program, McGuire said she’s excited to be back leading “one of the world's best international ag programs.”

“UC Davis is one of the best-positioned universities to make an impact on improving food systems at home and worldwide through its best asset: students and faculty,” McGuire said. “My time in the graduate program prepared me to make meaningful progress in some of the places where it is needed most.”

Priorities for the year ahead

McGuire was hired in summer 2026. She will work with Department of Plant Sciences faculty and leadership in the broader international agriculture community to address some of the most pressing challenges facing global food systems.

Already, McGuire has joined faculty at the International Horticulture Congress in Kyoto, Japan, to explore university collaborations for healthier food systems; met with IAD program alumni at the International Livestock Research Institute to strengthen career pathways for UC Davis students; and advocated for a North American university chapter of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s World Food Forum in Rome.

Plans for the coming year:

• Connect the IAD program to global leadership: McGuire plans to form an external advisory board drawn from the world's leading food systems organizations, research institutions and policy makers.
• Immerse students in real work: Students in the program take on a capstone project that anchors their studies in the real world. McGuire is expanding partnerships with non-government organizations, government agencies and research organizations to expand opportunities for field-based collaboration.
• Strengthen the curriculum for complex challenges ahead: McGuire is integrating professional skills, systems thinking and real-world experience throughout the program.
• Create career pathways: She plans to pair students with alumni mentors and build the program’s professional development infrastructure to help graduates step directly into leadership roles to improve food systems.

For more than a decade, McGuire has led global agriculture and nutrition policy efforts and managed research around the world. She brings to her new role a deep experience in global food systems and agricultural innovation. Her research looks at how to build healthy agricultural innovation systems, how the economic benefits of innovation are distributed across different groups, and how global investments shape the value chains of fruit and vegetables.

Interested students can learn more

Ready to learn more? Fill out this interest form here, or email McGuire at [email protected]