Utah State University (USU) has been involved in international rural development efforts (research, technical assistance, and outreach) since the 1920s.During the past 40 years, USU has been involved in over 100 major international projects around the globe.Rural development remains a critical strategic focus for many countries, including China and the United States.Rural poverty rates tend to be higher than country averages and providing opportunities to rural communities is an important economic goal.This is especially true for the developing world where the opportunities for rural populations can be extremely limited.