From empowering farmers with technical knowledge to fostering sustainable agriculture, explore how education becomes indispensable for prosperity in farming communities.
Farming communities, mostly comprised of smallholder farmers in rural areas, are not just the backbone of agricultural-dependent economies, they are the lifeblood of the global food system. Relying on farming for their livelihoods, these communities contribute immensely to supplying local and international markets with the required food for homes, restaurants and other businesses. But that’s not without some challenges.
Limited access to education has been a persistent hurdle, impeding the potential for growth and innovation within these farming communities. This article explores the relationship between knowledge acquisition and successful farming, along with some case studies.
Agriculture is essentially the science of the cultivation of land for producing safe, healthy crops on a small or large scale. And because the cultivation of land and plating of crops on them has to be systematic and controlled, the acquisition of knowledge becomes necessary. With this knowledge, farmers can embrace sustainable practices and innovative technologies, navigate the challenges of changing climate patterns and market demands.
Farming communities all over the world have problems peculiar to their climates and environments. Indonesian peatland farming communities located in Limbung and Jongkat, for example, often lose their crops and livelihoods to fire due to the unique composition of the soil in that area. In various other farming communities worldwide, the disproportionate impact of climate change threatens food security.
But beyond location-specific challenges, farming communities are often crippled by limited access to resources, market fluctuations, post-harvest losses and others.
Farmers around the world who have at least four years of primary education saw an average productivity increase of 8.7 per cent, according to a World Bank study cited by FAO. In the ensuing climate change impact across the world, anecdotal evidence shows that farming communities can remain productive when they receive–in addition to farm inputs– locally tailored educational and advisory services from governments, NGOs and the private sector. The following are ways in which farmers’ education can adequately benefit farmers themselves, their communities and the natural ecosystems.
In addition to traditional knowledge, advances in scientific research, extension services, farmers' organizations, and new technologies are expanding the knowledge and skills of farming communities. An example of this is the Jiva demo plot program which trained and helped a farmer increase yield from 1.8 tonnes to 2.6 tonnes by changing planting and input application practices after training.
Education is needed to teach farmers the hows of the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable farming practices. The environmental aspect includes practices that build soil health, manage water and prevent erosion, while the economic aspect focuses on maximizing profit without unfair treatment of workers.
Farmers' education on regenerative farming can help to maintain croplands or restore them amidst intensive agricultural practices. For example, in Guatemala, and Central America, a group of over 40 farming communities and organizations have created several agroecology schools across the country to convert degraded crops into croplands.
“The large-scale prevalence of hunger is not due to the lack of production but due to the lack of distribution.”, India's president, Draupadi Murmu recently confirmed at the World Food India 2023. To this end, education is important for farming communities to access market opportunities. It can help farmers understand market demands, build relationships with buyers, and use technology such as e-commerce to improve their marketing practices.
Indigenous youths and women can be trained to become conduits for channelling new agricultural techniques for farming communities. We have seen that this can contribute to rural development from a study of a farming community in Sulawesi, Indonesia, which shows that women and younger farmers have a greater impact on others' adoption of new farming methods than older men.
Education provides opportunities for smallholder farmers to obtain high-quality crops to grow even under poor climatic conditions. Such knowledge may include how to plant trees around fields to hold the soil together and prevent erosion, use of crop varieties that are disease-resistant and drought-tolerance and implementation of proper irrigation techniques.
Farmers need technical assistance from plant breeders or extension agents to understand the quality and yield potential of crops and accurately predict their performance under different environmental conditions. To be specific, understanding soil health and climate variability is essential for improving crop quality and quantity.
Education helps farmers to make better investments in technology. They become better equipped with the knowledge to assess the costs and benefits of different technologies and to choose the ones that are most likely to lead to increased yields and profits.
Farm-centric communities are fertile ground for creating sustainable food systems, if there's sufficient information to make that happen. While resources are necessary, education is essential for informed decision-making and innovation.
Farming communities often avoid succession planning due to lack of awareness, lack of resources, and difficulty coping with the emotional aspects of transition. Technical advice from extension agents on legal and financial plans, family communication, and conflict resolution can remove this barrier.
Farming communities need to have an understanding of the dietary needs – both quality and quantity – of their consumers. This knowledge will help them to produce the right types and quantities of food to meet the needs of their communities and contribute to global food security.
Productive use of natural resources in agriculture is better understood and implemented when farmers are aware of climate-induced changes to their local environment and adapt their practices accordingly.
With digital literacy, farmers are better equipped to access and understand information from agricultural extension services, research institutions, and the Internet. They can get financial support from local or international financial institutions and adopt new farming practices and technologies. All of these are critical enablers for maximizing productivity and profitability.
Pesticide residues and microbial contamination of crops are threats to better health and safety. Indonesian open-field vegetable cultivation, for example, is heavily reliant on chemical pesticides. Coffee growers also can not meet export standards in pesticide use. To combat these, experts agree that farmers need education on necessary changes for the cultivation and preservation of crops.
Farming communities should not lose their identities, which are shaped by efficient traditional agricultural practices. Some farming communities have philosophies and practices that are deeply rooted in their cultural heritage. Education can help to preserve these philosophies and practices and to pass them on to future generations.
Not all farmers are aware of the negative environmental impacts of techniques such as mixed farming and clearing of trees for agricultural purposes. Education is required to raise awareness about environmental issues and provide alternative solutions such as fire-smart farming, mulching in place of burning, cover crops instead of leaving land fallow, integrated pest management instead of using harmful chemicals.
Farmers with knowledge of crops and markets can diversify their offerings. For example, a farmer who learns about the export market for a particular crop may decide to put all necessary measures in place to start exporting their products.
Educated farmers are more likely to be aware of the important and numerous sources of information that are available to them. As a result, they may be more likely to have the skills and knowledge needed to maximize their yields and profits.
Closing gender equality in food systems could reduce food insecurity by 45 million people globally. Although women make up the majority of rural smallholder farmers globally, they often face discrimination in terms of access to land, credit, inputs, and markets. Education can significantly contribute to empowering women to overcome these challenges and reach their full potential in the food system.
Farmers with more education can get more income from using technologies because they are better able to understand and use these technologies effectively.
The role of education in farming can not be overstated; it’s like a superpower for farmers. It helps them know smart ways to grow crops even when the weather is unfavorable. They learn to plant “special trees'' to keep the soil strong and healthy. Through agroecology, they also find out about crops that can fight off diseases and survive without much water. Needless to say that education equips farming communities with the skills and awareness necessary for long-term success and environmental stewardship.
November 29, 2023
Farming communities, mostly comprised of smallholder farmers in rural areas, are not just the backbone of agricultural-dependent economies, they are the lifeblood of the global food system. Relying on farming for their livelihoods, these communities contribute immensely to supplying local and international markets with the required food for homes, restaurants and other businesses. But that’s not without some challenges.
Limited access to education has been a persistent hurdle, impeding the potential for growth and innovation within these farming communities. This article explores the relationship between knowledge acquisition and successful farming, along with some case studies.
Agriculture is essentially the science of the cultivation of land for producing safe, healthy crops on a small or large scale. And because the cultivation of land and plating of crops on them has to be systematic and controlled, the acquisition of knowledge becomes necessary. With this knowledge, farmers can embrace sustainable practices and innovative technologies, navigate the challenges of changing climate patterns and market demands.
Farming communities all over the world have problems peculiar to their climates and environments. Indonesian peatland farming communities located in Limbung and Jongkat, for example, often lose their crops and livelihoods to fire due to the unique composition of the soil in that area. In various other farming communities worldwide, the disproportionate impact of climate change threatens food security.
But beyond location-specific challenges, farming communities are often crippled by limited access to resources, market fluctuations, post-harvest losses and others.
Farmers around the world who have at least four years of primary education saw an average productivity increase of 8.7 per cent, according to a World Bank study cited by FAO. In the ensuing climate change impact across the world, anecdotal evidence shows that farming communities can remain productive when they receive–in addition to farm inputs– locally tailored educational and advisory services from governments, NGOs and the private sector. The following are ways in which farmers’ education can adequately benefit farmers themselves, their communities and the natural ecosystems.
In addition to traditional knowledge, advances in scientific research, extension services, farmers' organizations, and new technologies are expanding the knowledge and skills of farming communities. An example of this is the Jiva demo plot program which trained and helped a farmer increase yield from 1.8 tonnes to 2.6 tonnes by changing planting and input application practices after training.
Education is needed to teach farmers the hows of the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable farming practices. The environmental aspect includes practices that build soil health, manage water and prevent erosion, while the economic aspect focuses on maximizing profit without unfair treatment of workers.
Farmers' education on regenerative farming can help to maintain croplands or restore them amidst intensive agricultural practices. For example, in Guatemala, and Central America, a group of over 40 farming communities and organizations have created several agroecology schools across the country to convert degraded crops into croplands.
“The large-scale prevalence of hunger is not due to the lack of production but due to the lack of distribution.”, India's president, Draupadi Murmu recently confirmed at the World Food India 2023. To this end, education is important for farming communities to access market opportunities. It can help farmers understand market demands, build relationships with buyers, and use technology such as e-commerce to improve their marketing practices.
Indigenous youths and women can be trained to become conduits for channelling new agricultural techniques for farming communities. We have seen that this can contribute to rural development from a study of a farming community in Sulawesi, Indonesia, which shows that women and younger farmers have a greater impact on others' adoption of new farming methods than older men.
Education provides opportunities for smallholder farmers to obtain high-quality crops to grow even under poor climatic conditions. Such knowledge may include how to plant trees around fields to hold the soil together and prevent erosion, use of crop varieties that are disease-resistant and drought-tolerance and implementation of proper irrigation techniques.
Farmers need technical assistance from plant breeders or extension agents to understand the quality and yield potential of crops and accurately predict their performance under different environmental conditions. To be specific, understanding soil health and climate variability is essential for improving crop quality and quantity.
Education helps farmers to make better investments in technology. They become better equipped with the knowledge to assess the costs and benefits of different technologies and to choose the ones that are most likely to lead to increased yields and profits.
Farm-centric communities are fertile ground for creating sustainable food systems, if there's sufficient information to make that happen. While resources are necessary, education is essential for informed decision-making and innovation.
Farming communities often avoid succession planning due to lack of awareness, lack of resources, and difficulty coping with the emotional aspects of transition. Technical advice from extension agents on legal and financial plans, family communication, and conflict resolution can remove this barrier.
Farming communities need to have an understanding of the dietary needs – both quality and quantity – of their consumers. This knowledge will help them to produce the right types and quantities of food to meet the needs of their communities and contribute to global food security.
Productive use of natural resources in agriculture is better understood and implemented when farmers are aware of climate-induced changes to their local environment and adapt their practices accordingly.
With digital literacy, farmers are better equipped to access and understand information from agricultural extension services, research institutions, and the Internet. They can get financial support from local or international financial institutions and adopt new farming practices and technologies. All of these are critical enablers for maximizing productivity and profitability.
Pesticide residues and microbial contamination of crops are threats to better health and safety. Indonesian open-field vegetable cultivation, for example, is heavily reliant on chemical pesticides. Coffee growers also can not meet export standards in pesticide use. To combat these, experts agree that farmers need education on necessary changes for the cultivation and preservation of crops.
Farming communities should not lose their identities, which are shaped by efficient traditional agricultural practices. Some farming communities have philosophies and practices that are deeply rooted in their cultural heritage. Education can help to preserve these philosophies and practices and to pass them on to future generations.
Not all farmers are aware of the negative environmental impacts of techniques such as mixed farming and clearing of trees for agricultural purposes. Education is required to raise awareness about environmental issues and provide alternative solutions such as fire-smart farming, mulching in place of burning, cover crops instead of leaving land fallow, integrated pest management instead of using harmful chemicals.
Farmers with knowledge of crops and markets can diversify their offerings. For example, a farmer who learns about the export market for a particular crop may decide to put all necessary measures in place to start exporting their products.
Educated farmers are more likely to be aware of the important and numerous sources of information that are available to them. As a result, they may be more likely to have the skills and knowledge needed to maximize their yields and profits.
Closing gender equality in food systems could reduce food insecurity by 45 million people globally. Although women make up the majority of rural smallholder farmers globally, they often face discrimination in terms of access to land, credit, inputs, and markets. Education can significantly contribute to empowering women to overcome these challenges and reach their full potential in the food system.
Farmers with more education can get more income from using technologies because they are better able to understand and use these technologies effectively.
The role of education in farming can not be overstated; it’s like a superpower for farmers. It helps them know smart ways to grow crops even when the weather is unfavorable. They learn to plant “special trees'' to keep the soil strong and healthy. Through agroecology, they also find out about crops that can fight off diseases and survive without much water. Needless to say that education equips farming communities with the skills and awareness necessary for long-term success and environmental stewardship.
