Rocky Mini-Grants Experiences: Global Health Case Competition

The case competition was inspired by students who have traveled to the Mala Valley region of Lima, Peru last summer. The trip, sponsored by the Dartmouth Center for Health Care Delivery Science, exposed students to harmful farming practices and accompanying health problems.

Most farmers in Mala Valley, a region that is highly dependent on agriculture, use conventional farming methods such as potent pesticide to eliminate insects and other threats to crops. As a result, the chemicals endanger the local environment because many farmers do not properly dispose of pesticide containers, allowing agrochemical residue subsequently contaminates water, air and soil. Furthermore, the laws already in place to address the implications of pesticide use are not comprehensive enough to tackle the region’s core problems.

This competition was modeled on the Emory Global Health case competition, which promotes pursuing multidisciplinary approaches to a global health issue. The most poignant aspect of the Dartmouth competition is that teams seek a solution to a real-life issue that will ultimately be implemented in the region.