By the Numbers
Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T gives everyone in North Carolina the opportunity to benefit from research and know-how from one of the nation’s premier land-grant universities and its largest HistoricallyBlack institution.
Through agents in the field who work with people in all 100 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians,we help small-scale farmers grow better crops and find new markets. We give youth opportunities to exploretechnology and develop into leaders. We help families eat healthier food, live healthier lives and become more informed consumers. We bring the university to the people – including those in under-resourcedcommunities and those who have never set foot on our campus.
As we move forward, Extension at N.C. A&T will continue to educate North Carolinians, cultivate leaders, and empower small-scale farmers, communities, families, youth and individuals. We are partners who live in the communities we serve, and our goal is to help create a better quality of life for all North Carolinians. Below is a snapshot of our reach in the last year.
4-H Youth Development
4-H youth development agents engaged 123,055 young people in 4-H programs in 2024, including more than 21,894 youth who participated in enrichment programs, overnight camps, STEM education and workforce development. A total of 3,601 youth learned about technology and engineering through hands-on 4-H activities that included building robots and operating drones. They developed STEM competencies and “soft” skills, including problem-solving, teamwork, and turning ideas into innovations. Innovation Station, a mobile makerspace that brings STEM education to underserved schools and communities, traveled across the state and engaged around 1,000 students in hands-on STEM activities. Through targeted outreach efforts, 1,857 youth learned to be leaders, and in the process, learned about themselves.
Teachers benefit from the 4-H STEM curriculum too; 143 teachers incorporated 4-H STEM programs into their curricula last year, and 113 new teachers were trained to use 4-H curriculum in their classrooms.
Family Resource Management
Extension understands that managing budgets on a limited income takes skills and knowledge. The youth program Real Money, Real World provided 3,629 youth with interactive, hands- on experiences inmaking the lifestyle and budget choices that adults must make every day. Last year, 2,539 adults learnedfinancial management skills to improve their families’ economic security. Another 2,198 individuals gainedknowledge to help them identify community resources that benefit families.
Food Safety and Nutrition
Teen Cuisine, a hands-on cooking program designed for students in grades 8 – 12, reached 1,474 youth participants. The program teaches life skills for making smart eating choices and provides youthwith knowledge that will benefit them as they transition into adulthood.
The pre-K – Kindergarten program Go, Glow, Grow engaged 303 children, offering interactive learning experiences about healthy eating and exercise. Through the program, preschoolers learn how eating nutritious foods affects their bodies in positive ways.
SNAP-Ed, aimed at families who qualify for USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP,) reached 66,507 youth and adults, empowering them with essential skills to maximize their foodbudgets, plan meals and adopt healthy habits to combat obesity. Eighty-five school staff members learned the principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Certification (HAACP), to ensure proper preparation, storage and handling of school foods. The policy, systems, and environmental Farm to Fridge Initiative served 700 SNAP-eligible families in Granville County, established a farmers’ market and helped three farmersbecome certified to accept SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfers (EBTs).
Community and Rural Development
A total of 39,464 pounds of locally grown food was donated to vulnerable populations through community-ledactivities enabled by Extension at N.C. A&T, and 1,383 people learned about local food and farming systems tounderstand how food is produced in their communities. Extension taught 118 people about best practices to prepare for disasters and reduce their impact, making them better prepared for floods, fires and otheremergencies. Community organizations won $38,286 in funding to support community and economic development as a result of education and outreach efforts by Extension.
Plant Production Systems and Natural Resources
Extension reached 1,014 small farmers with information on improved production practices, pest management and financial management in efforts to improve yields and increase profits. These farmers also implemented stormwater and stream water management practices to prevent crop contamination. Farmers also learned strategies for developing value-added enterprises to increase farm profitability. Through Extension, 433 farmers and producers learned new skills or gained knowledge to grow more crops for local markets, and 158 producers and farmers increased revenues by marketing and selling locally produced food
Consumer Horticulture
Extension education reached 556 participants with knowledge about best management practices in landscapes, turf and gardens, including pests (e.g., insects, weeds, disease, wildlife) and soil management. Another 49 individuals learned how to raise backyard poultry and livestock, such as goats, chickens and bees, for home food production. Extension also helped 173 North Carolinians address food insecurity by providing assistance and knowledge on home food production and starting vegetable and fruit gardens.