Agricultural education
Agricultural education is the systematic and organized teaching, instruction and training available to students, farmers or individuals interested in the science, business and technology of agriculture as well as the management of land, environment and natural resources.
Agricultural education is part of the curriculum of primary and secondary schools along with tertiary institutions such as colleges, universities and vocational and technical schools. Agricultural education resources are provided by youth organizations, farm apprenticeships and internships, non-profit organizations, and government agencies and ministries, as well as by agricultural workshops, training programs, shows, fairs, and research institutions. Online/distance learning programs are also available. In institutions, agricultural education serves as preparation for employment or careers in the farming and agricultural sector.
Students learn about general principles of land management, soil science, pasture management. As well as the principles of agricultural economics, plant growth, crop production, and protection. In addition to livestock anatomy and physiology, production, and breeding.
Students who pursue higher education in colleges and universities are provided with more in-depth and focused education so that they can develop expertise in specialized areas such as animal science, food science, genetics, international agriculture, Farm business management, sustainable and organic agriculture. Horticulture, turf grass management, small animal welfare, etc. can also be taught.
The main purposes of agricultural education encompass building a skilled agricultural workforce through training and preparation of future farmers and agricultural professionals, promotion of sustainable and responsible agricultural practices, enhancement of food security, development of cutting-edge agricultural technologists, innovators and leaders, improvement of awareness and understanding of agriculture to bridge the gap between the source of food and the broader community of consumers, contribution to rural economic development and growth, and strengthening the connection between urban and rural agricultural communities.
Historically, farming techniques and knowledge were passed down through oral traditions. In 19th century, agricultural education was formalized as an academic discipline through the Morrill Acts in the United States. Over the years, it slowly subsumed a broad range of scientific subjects related to animals, plants and crops, soil, business, food, land, natural resources and environment. In recent decades agricultural education has been adapted to address the issues of new technology, global perspectives and food security. Recent technological advancements discussed in agricultural education include the integration of precision agriculture, biotechnology, advanced machinery and data-driven approaches to optimize production, reduce resource wastage, improve overall efficiency, and minimize agriculture's ecological footprint. In the future, online learning, interdisciplinary research, community outreach and preparation for diverse career opportunities will also play a crucial role in addressing the evolving challenges of the agricultural sector.
Disciplines closely tied to agricultural education include agricultural communications, agricultural leadership, and extension education.
United States
The chief sources of agriculture education in the United States are high schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, youth organizations, and the 10x15 program.History
The rapid growth of agricultural education began during the late 19th century. In 1862, the United States Congress created the Department of Agriculture to gather and distribute agricultural information. The Morrill Act, which provided the land-grant schools, became law that same year. The Hatch Act of 1887 gave federal funds to establish agricultural experiment stations. The first dairy school in the U.S. was created at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1891.Government support for agricultural education has increased during the 20th century. For example, the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created what is now the Cooperative Extension System. The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 and the George-Barden Act of 1946 financed high-school instruction in farming. Woodlawn High School was the first public high school in the United States to offer agricultural education classes under the Smith-Hughes Act. The Vocational Education Act of 1963 funded training in other fields of agriculture.
Agricultural science and education expanded after 1900 in response to a need for more technical knowledge and skill in the use of newly developed agricultural technologies. This development led to the use of modern farming methods that required fewer farmworkers, resulting in larger, corporatized farms and ranches. This development increased the need for more agriculture science and education.
Other legislation influenced the development of agricultural education into what the field is today. It has developed throughout the last century from various laws and pieces of legislation.
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 required all public schools to provide a free and appropriate education to all students with disabilities. Under this provision, children with disabilities were now allowed to enroll in agricultural classes. The Americans with Disabilities Act, enacted in 1990, further required public schools to give students with disabilities equal opportunity for education to all other children in the country, and as a result, it increased opportunities for students with disabilities participate in agricultural classes.
Educate America Act of 1994 raised benchmark standards for public education at the districts level, increasing curriculum and development requirements for all classes, including agricultural ones. The School-to-Work Opportunities Act, also of 1994, required teachers to teach students tasks and disciplines that would help their students prepare for employment once they graduated, of which practical education in agriculture was a major part. Finally, No Child Left Behind further raised standards for students in public schools and increased requirements of teachers in order to reach these standards, affecting agricultural education as part of the general curriculum of many schools.
Elementary school
In 2006, Walton Rural Life Center in Walton, Kansas was the first public elementary school in the United States to base its curriculum around agriculture. Integrating agricultural components into the classroom is one of the challenges that elementary teachers face. They are also expected to teach with outdated teaching substances. John Block, who was a previous Secretary of Agriculture for the United States, encouraged agricultural competence. Agriculture in the Classroom was one of Block's achievements to stress agricultural literacy in 1981. Agriculture in the Classroom soon became utilized in each state. Though Agriculture in the Classroom was the beginning of agriculture education in all fifty states, elementary instruction began in some schools possibly before the 1900s. After elementary agriculture education began to grow, twenty-one states began to require it by 1915. The required curriculum was evenly split between urban and rural schools. The states that required agricultural education at the elementary level were all midwestern states or southern states; both of which are rich in agriculture.High school
In the United States, intracurricular agricultural education at the high school level focuses on three main categories of student engagement: classroom/laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experience, and active involvement in the National FFA Organization.- Classroom instruction of an agricultural class teaches the students the basic concepts of the particular course through hands-on learning and experience. Students will be taught the information in the curriculum in order for them to understand and develop skills in the application and problem solving issues that would occur in an agricultural setting.
- The Supervised Agricultural Experience portion of agricultural curriculum encourages the practical application of classroom knowledge. SAE activities promote the development of five core competencies: career exploration and planning, personal financial management and planning, workplace safety, employability skills for college and career readiness, and agricultural literacy and exploration. Several topic choices are available for the student to choose between, whether it is on a farm setting, exploratory setting, entrepreneurship, agribusiness, or research projects. The student will choose a task from one of these topic areas and conduct a research experiment throughout the course of the agricultural class. The teacher is involved in the process and will help guide the student along the way. SAE programs give students the opportunity to take the information learned in the classroom setting and use it on an agricultural topic that interests them. This portion of an agricultural education will give students an idea of how it is working out in the real world and solving problems that will arise in the work field.
- FFA is a national organization that all agricultural classes at the high school level are involved in. The agricultural teacher is the leader of that particular schools FFA chapter, and will guide students' activities and programs held throughout the year. FFA is an educational program designed to teach students leadership skills in both agricultural settings and everyday life, encourages personal growth in students, boosts self-confidence, builds character, encourage healthy lifestyles, and give students opportunities to be a part of the agricultural economy. FFA chapters will volunteer in communities, conduct banquets for FFA members and their families, raise awareness of agriculture, compete in FFA competitions, and attend national FFA conventions.