Learning for sustainable agriculture
In both developing and industrialised countries, the need is being recognised for more sustainable forms of agriculture. But this, in turn, demands a different kind of agricultural training to prepare us for continuous training.
The emphasis in this issue is on learning experiences gained by farm women and men, grassroots development agents and people involved in on-farm and applied research for sustainable agriculture. It also includes “training fortrainers”: developing people’s skills to stimulate a learning process among others.
Table of contents:
-
1 - 1
-
3 - 3written by ILEIA editorial teamIn both developing and industrialised countries, the need is being recognised for more sustainable forms of agriculture. But this, in turn, demands a different kind of agricultural training to prepare us for continuous training.
-
4 - 5
-
6 - 7written by Jacqueline A. Ashby , Teresa GraciaAlmost everyone involved in field research has met at least one person who is naturally gifted in gaining farmers\' enthusiastic participation. Such people inspire and teach others by example. Curriculum planners of a PTD training course began with the question: \"How can we synthesise the qualities of such gifted fieldworkers into a set of skills and techniques that can be formally taught?\"
-
8 - 9written by Helen Vukasin , Joyce ChimbadzwaSupported by the Zimbabwe Women\'s Bureau, groups of rural women are identifying their training needs and embarking on a 3-phase training programme in agriculture and much more. A consultant and a training officer with ZWB outline this programme designed for women.
-
10 - 11written by Christine Martins (Dr.) , Wang De HaiIn many parts of the world, dissatisfying experiences in extension and training have induced the search for more appropriate ways to deal with the complexity of rural development and to create sustainable forms of agriculture. As Wang Dehai and Karin Janz report, the search has now also started in the People\'s Republic of China.
-
12 - 13written by Nadarajah SriskandarajahHawkesbury College has pioneered in changing formal agricultural education to meet the needs of sustainable development. Nadarajah Sriskandarajah outlines their learning approach based on joint research and action by university students and agricultural producers.
-
14 - 15written by Francia Torné de ValcárelAn innovation in education in southwest Colombia is aimed at enabling peasant communities to forge their own path to development. The basis is traditional knowledge and culture, augmented by relevant outside knowledge. Francia Torné de Valcárel of FUNDAEC introduces the main concepts behind this approach.
-
16 - 17written by Pierre JacolinThe experience of combined Research-Training-Action described here by Pierre Jacolin was confined to only one locality in western Senegal, but gives an inspiring example. This was not a theoretical approach but rather what peasants and NGO staff actually put into practice over a period of ten days.
-
20 - 20written by Judith D.C. OsualaThe Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN) offers an exchange of practical information about low-cost farming techniques. Information is distributed as radio scripts, which are adapted by participants for local use, e.g. in radio spots, leaflets, songs. Two participants from Nigeria report how they use these scripts in adult education and extension in farming communities.
-
21 - 21written by Dag WaturuochaMrs Agnes Amadi, a widow with 8 children living in Ndioka village, is a Contact Farmer in the Imo State Agricultural Development Project (ADP). With other Contact Farmers, she attends meetings with ADP extensionists as part of a Training-and-Visit scheme.
-
22 - 23written by Stephan RistAgricultural sustainability is threatened by the erosion of peasant knowledge. Stephan Rist from AGRUCO tells how extensionists and Andean peasants are learning from each other through joint elaboration of \"handbills\" on local agricultural knowledge.
-
24 - 24written by Michael TanIt is not enough to make an inventory of indigenous knowledge (IK) to be used for social engineering (e.g. projects). In his critique of research into IK, Michael Tan asks: What are the processes of indigenous learning and its context, also politically and historically?
-
25 - 25written by Jim TjepkemaA growing number of US farmers are seeking ways to lower their use of purchased inputs, conserve natural resources and increase the economic profitability of their farms. They are doing their own research and forming networks to learn from each other. Dick and Sharon Thompson of Boone, Iowa, are a farming couple who have been active in founding two such networks.
-
26 - 27written by Talib M AliBased on experiences in China and India, many African countries are now approaching animal healthcare by providing individuals from livestock-keeping communities with basic training as animal health auxiliaries, \"para-vets\", \"vet scouts\" etc. Talib Ali was involved in setting up such a programme in Somalia.
-
28 - 28written by Korah MathenThe basic problem in the question about what criteria can be suggested for documenting traditional farming wisdom, is the question itself. It presupposes that we must have criteria (fixed or flexible) -not that the people, whose rich experience we wish to document, could possibly evolve their own criteria. We academics need standardisation to compare, but ...
-
29 - 35
-
35 - 35
-
36 - 36
Print this