Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World (2009) / Chapter Skim
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1 Motivating Change
1 Motivating Change
Pages 13-24
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From page 13... ...
The challenges have intimate ties to food and agriculture, and colleges of agriculture are in a perfect position to address them. With their mix of basic, applied, and social sciences, the colleges already have the fundamental -- and historical -- capacity to respond to complex issues, such as developing biologically based means of energy production, preserving the security and safety of our food supply, protecting the environment and using natural resources efficiently, and understanding the connections between nutrition and health to address important issues such as obesity.
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From page 14... ...
Looked at in another way, agriculture often focuses on question of "how" in addition to "why": how to improve animal nutrition, how to grow crops without the use of pesticides, how to develop markets that support sustainable models for agriculture; in contrast, other disciplines tend to focus less on the "how" and are, instead, interested in understanding mechanisms or phenomena. Throughout this report, the committee has taken an inclusive view of agriculture, including related disciplines that are sometimes considered separately.
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From page 15... ...
A wide range of factors including currency exchange rates, distribution costs and capacity, environmental regulation, and labor cost differentials routinely affect the competitiveness of American agriculture. Challenges arise when those factors diverge widely between countries -- for example when foods and raw ingredient sources from around the globe must meet safety and environmental standards that vary widely from one country to another.
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From page 16... ...
Agriculture now so thoroughly combines basic and applied aspects of the traditional STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that the acronym might rightly expand to become STEAM, joining agriculture with the other fundamental disciplines. Agriculture can also connect with social science disciplines in areas such as ethnobotany and rural development, with medicine in areas such as pharmacognosy and nutrition, and with a large range of emerging and traditional fields from throughout the university. Research and technology developed from public and private sources are primary inputs into agriculture and agribusiness.
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From page 17... ...
Moreover, the effect of climate change on food and agriculture constitutes an important unknown for the future of our food system and production agriculture. American agriculture will be fundamentally influenced by the rapidly emerging challenges of providing, allocating, managing, and conserving water and energy.
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From page 18... ...
Agriculture, of course, produces the essentials of life, but it also constitutes a major national economic sector and a primary player in both international and local commerce. Much of rural America continues to depend on agriculture and agri business as drivers of economic development and social stability.
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From page 19... ...
Several acts of Congress added to the original teaching mission of land-grant institutions, but education remains a central component in the social contract of land-grant universities. Although necessary to cast it in a contemporary context, the directive in the Morrill Act to "promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life" remains relevant today in all land-grant institutions.
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From page 20... ...
They have a compelling reason to communicate to the public and to students that agriculture not only is not behind the times but it also has the necessary qualities to lead the way into the future: • Agriculture colleges incorporate outreach at their core; in fact, they often have the most extensive extension activities and may even be the only part of universities that have an explicit responsibility to reach beyond the walls of the institution and engage the public. What better way to appeal to students who want to make a difference in the world and work toward affecting the lives of others directly and beneficially than through this existing structure and the network of extension centers?
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From page 21... ...
After receipt of sponsorship from government agencies and private foundations and organizations, a National Research Council committee was convened to consider the changes needed in undergraduate agricultural education to produce a flexible, well-prepared workforce that is appropriately skilled, socially responsive, and technically proficient (see NASULGC is now known as the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.
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From page 22... ...
While farming remains an appealing career for many students and those with expertise in production agriculture are needed, the range of career options in food and agriculture is much broader than it was a generation ago. As part of the study, the committee and project staff organized a seminal event to draw attention to the need for change in undergraduate education in agriculture.
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From page 23... ...
The committee encourages institutions to consider the messages and recommendations seriously, to ask how they can best achieve the goals highlighted in the report, and to anticipate the results of reaching beyond the status quo; institutions should also consider the consequences of inaction as a decision not to change is an action nonetheless. Therefore, the focus is on how to bring about change and on the structures and policies that will enable institutions to provide the best undergraduate experience and to recruit and retain the best students for the careers of today and tomorrow.
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