Ivory Coast Ambassador & Minister of Animal and Fisheries Visits the SU Ag Center

BatonRouge, La. – Ivory Coast (officially named Côte d'Ivoire) Ambassador to the United States, Ibrahima Touré and Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources, Sidi Tiémoko Touré, visited the Southern University Ag Center on May 20, 2026 to learn more about the Center’s research programs.

The delegation also included Alphonse Gon, Minister-Counselor at the Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire in Washington, D.C. and Natacha Leroux, Agriculture Counselor of Brussels.

While at the Ag Center, the delegation toured the Research Farm where there was a demonstration on SMART Ranching technologies and Dr. Pat Bagley, SU Ag Center Vice Chancellor for Research and Dr. Mallory Tate, Research Assistant Professor and Attending Veterinarian discussed how the technology is used to monitor the health of beef cattle. Dr. Miriam Contin, SU Ag Center Post-Doctoral Researcher for Aquaculture, discussed aquaculture research, and Dr. LaShonda Hodges, Full Research Professor of Soil and Plant Sciences and FAA Certified Drone Pilot, conducted a drone demonstration and discussed its use in the field of research.

The delegation also toured the SU Ag Center’s vineyard where Dr. Devaiah Kambiranda, SU Ag Center’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, discussed the Center’s Viticulture and Enology research program.

The visit concluded with lunch and a meeting with Dr. Orlando F. McMeans, Chancellor of the SU Ag Center and Interim Southern University System President at the Valdary Center of Philanthropy.