11 pages, Existing research and practice related to digital agriculture technology adoption is largely focused on large-scale producers. In this paper, we describe a case of adopting an advanced soil monitoring system in a community-based agricultural organization. We provide guidance for Extension professionals seeking to implement or promote digital agriculture technology adoption on: selecting appropriate technology, incorporating new technology into existing practices, harnessing local technology champions, and avoiding data-driven mission creep.
23 pages, We examined how an agricultural literacy professional development enhanced equity in seven secondary agriculture classrooms in a southeastern state. Utilizing the Equity Framework in Career and Technical Education and exploratory case study methodology, we examined the equitable barriers that seven secondary agriculture education teachers faced in their school sites and how targeted professional development might alleviate some of those challenges. Our findings revealed that all seven teachers faced barriers in their schools from two areas identified in the theoretical framework: educational adequacy and equal treatment. The professional development helped alleviate the educational adequacy barrier. More research is needed to elicit the role of professional development programs in counteracting equity barriers.
9 pages, Teaching is an important part of an Extension agent’s duties; however, little is empirically understood about effective teaching practices in an Extension context. The purpose of this study was to explore the adult teaching practices of exemplary extension agents. Through a nomination process, seven agents in Florida were interviewed. The analysis revealed four themes: (a) approach to teaching adults, (b) awareness of learners, (c) planning, and (d) learning to teach. Each theme had several sub-themes. Recommendations for practice and additional research are provided.
5 pages, While strategies may differ across geographical regions, FACS Extension professionals work to enhance nutrition education and increase food security in their communities. The four dimensions of food security developed by The Food and Agricultural Organization were reconceptualized to understand food security on an individual or at a community level. Using experiences from a summer internship with two urban counties, the EEUESA Model described here was designed to aid FACS Extension professionals in their efforts for nutrition education and to better understand how programming targets food security in their communities
Mott, Rebecca (author), Tummons, John (author), Simonsen, Jon C. (author), Cletzer, D.A. (author), Peckman, Jaelyn (author), and Plaugher, Seth (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2024-06-19
Published:
USA: Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 208 Document Number: D13278
5 pages, The Covid-19-induced moratorium on campus visits allowed faculty from University of Missouri’s Agricultural Education & Leadership (AEL) program and Missouri Extension time to reconsider our campus visit structure and be more purposeful in our recruitment efforts. We organized a showcase to expose high school students to career paths and help them understand how our program could help prepare them for career success in the formal agriculture classroom, Extension, or the agriculture. We urge extension professionals to consider how they can be involved with events that raise students’ awareness about career opportunities while simultaneously recruiting the next generation of extension employees.
Levinson, Jeremy (author), Lamie, Dave (author), Vassalos, Michael (author), Eck, Chris (author), Chong, Juang (author), and Reay-Jones, Francis P. F. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2024-05-15
Published:
USA: Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 208 Document Number: D13277
9 pages, The Train-the-Trainer approach is widely used in Cooperative Extension education to efficiently disseminate research-based information to many clientele groups, including farmers. This paper compares the traditional Train-the-Trainer model to a comprehensive Collaborative Train-the-Trainer model and discusses weaknesses of the traditional model that are addressed in the Collaborative model. Sources of information used by farmers (growers) and overall effectiveness were measured through a survey instrument created and distributed to farmers in South and North Carolina. The Collaborative Train-the-Trainer model, which emphasizes peer-to-peer interaction and feedback loops, represents an enhanced approach for conceptualizing and implementing Extension educational programs.
8 pages, The National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization (NAITCO) is a professional network of state and territory Agriculture in the Classroom programs. Its purpose is to provide national leadership in promoting agricultural literacy with the vision that “agriculture is valued by all” (National Agriculture in the Classroom, Citation2023c, Vision, para. 2). The organization grew out of a task force formed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1981 (National Agriculture in the Classroom, Citation2023e). Agricultural literacy is not a new concept. In the late 1980s, the National Research Council of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences established the Agricultural Education in Secondary Schools Committee to examine the status and forecast the future of agricultural education. The impetuses behind this research were the many forces identified by the Council that were challenging American agriculture and education.
15 pages, Background
In traditional food systems, especially those of rural populations around the world, wild food plants remain crucial. These resources need to be urgently documented to lay the foundations for sustainable livelihoods and food security.
Methods
In the present field study, we gathered information about wild food plants and mushrooms consumed by four ethnic groups (Turis, Khushis, Hazaras, and Christians) living in Kurram District, NW Pakistan, by conducting semi-structured interviews and holding group discussions.
Results
A total of 57 wild edible plants and mushrooms were reported, with the documented taxa belonging to 50 genera and 34 families. Turis reported the highest number of wild food plants (41), followed by Hazaras (37), Khushis (35), and then Christians, who reported only 11 plants. The most dominant families were Rosaceae, followed by Polygonaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Moraceae, and Plantaginaceae. The comparative analysis we conducted with the pre-existing Pakistani ethnobotanical studies revealed that 23 wild edible plants have not been previously reported as food items in the area under study, which included Fragaria nubicola, Lepidium draba, Pinus wallichiana, Podophyllum emodi, Prunus jacquemontii, Sambucus nigra, Sideroxylon mascatense, and Thymus linearis. Four wild edible mushrooms are also reported for the area for the first time: Calvatia gigantea, Morchella esculenta, Pisolithus albus, and Tulostoma squamosum. The cross-cultural analysis of wild edible plants and their uses revealed remarkable similarity between Khushis and Hazaras. The overlapping pattern of wild edible plant use among these two groups, as well as Turis, confirms the existence of cross-cultural interactions among these communities, which have shared the same environmental and socio-cultural space for several decades. Food heritage and some unique dishes are linked to wild edible plants in the area, such as Zamda, prepared by Turis, and Saba, famous among Khushis and Hazaras.
Conclusion
This study suggests that some wild edible plants could be cultivated to protect a few threatened species from overexploitation, while the overall wild food plant heritage should be promoted and revitalized; for example, within educational platforms aimed at improving the wellbeing of local communities and the global ecological transition we must deal with.
