Introduction to the Project

1
Introduction to the Project

• Kenneth W. Rea, Vice President for Academic
  Affairs
• Gary A. Kennedy, Head, Agricultural Sciences
• Susan Watson, Assistant Professor of Agribusiness
• John Nwoha, Project Director

2
Project

• USDA Fund for Rural America Rural Community
  Innovation Grant
• Title Diversifying the Economy of the Lower
  Mississippi Delta by Developing E-commerce
  Businesses
• Total Funding 539,680 over four years

3
Project Goals

• Assist agricultural and rural small businesses in
  e-commerce development
• Sponsor seminars about how to get started with
  e-commerce for a business
• Provide assistance to selected businesses by
  developing web-sites and providing technical
  assistance for one year

4
Collaborators

• An educational collaboration between
• Louisiana Tech University
• Department of Agricultural Sciences
• Center for Rural Development
• Louisiana Small Business Development Center
  Network
• University sites in Arkansas and Mississippi

5
Seminars

• Seminars scheduled for this project
• First Year Louisiana Tech University and ULM
• Second Year Four in northern one-half of
  Louisiana
• Third Year Five throughout state of Louisiana
• Fourth Year Six in the Lower Mississippi River
  Delta

6
Technical Support

• Components (one year)
• Web site development
• BellSouth web hosting plan
• Set-up and Domain name

FOR MORE INFO...
Address for the Delta e-Commerce Connection
project is www.deltaecom.latech.edu Address for
the Tech Farm Salesroom is www.techfarmsales.lat
ech.edu
7
Technical Support

• Criteria for selection
• Attend one seminar
• Submit Technical Assistance Application
• Product and/or service that is compatible with an
  e-commerce platform
• Small / Rural business

FOR MORE INFO...
Address for the Delta e-Commerce Connection
project is www.deltaecom.latech.edu Address for
the Tech Farm Salesroom is www.techfarmsales.lat
ech.edu