Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
those within each department, and each of them reaches out to the public with specific recom-
mendations on new crop cultivars, or fertiliser recommendations, or how to manage weeds.
There is minimal feedback from the clients because after all, it is assumed that the experts
reside in the university and have access to the latest information. There is a disconnection in
our minds between the natural environment that is studied by natural resource specialists
with little interest in agricultural production, and the crop and animal management special-
ists who work in the agricultural production areas. Parallel to this, there is a complete discon-
nection between the people working in food production and those in urban society, the latter
with all their challenges of securing an adequate food supply, finding energy and meeting the
needs of a culture that is divorced from both the natural environment and farming enter-
prises. Students learn all of their theory in the university, and later face the challenge of con-
fronting the complexity and uncertainty of the real world, and often are fearful of even entering
that world. They may seek employment within their personal comfort zones rather than adapt
to an unknown and seemingly hostile agricultural sector that is even sceptical of the skills that
they have to offer. Although this is an extreme example, it does illustrate some of the chal-
lenges faced in a specialised society.
The alternative vision presented in Figure 16.2 for a future active learning university has
specialists, but they are organised in large, interdisciplinary departments in f flexible teams that
are f fluid and responsive to new challenges in society. There is frequent and two-way commu-
nication between those who work in the university and those in society. The landscape is a
continuum from areas of nature through production areas to the urban areas, and the inter-
faces between them are indistinct and complementary. Students take some of their basic
sciences and humanities in the university campus, while having some practical experience to
ground their classes in the reality of the human situation in food production and consump-
tion. In the upper level courses they move freely out of the university and back in to acquire
more resources and skills, but most of their education takes place in the social and production
landscape where they will eventually work. They are organised in teams that include various
specialists, and all become familiar with the tools, skills and vocabulary needed to work in
interdisciplinary teams. The learning stays centred on a series of projects that ref lect current
problems or challenges in natural areas, production systems or the urban part of the food
system and materials cycle. The emphasis is on teamwork, practical problem solving, working
with clients and becoming an action-oriented professional ready to take a place in this same
environment.
This latter model is an idealised organisation that is perceived by us to be f flexible, and with
potential to meet current needs as well as to adjust to those of tomorrow. This model will be
discussed in more detail in the final section. This model is not only most appropriate for study
of organic farming and food systems, but also relevant to more general application across the
specialties of the post-modern university.
Key information resources
In the search for relevant information that will be most useful for understanding and designing
new organic agricultural systems, instructors and students need to look beyond the traditional
libraries, lectures and Internet resources explored in our universities. Much of the science that
has been developed is available in these conventional locations, and a large part of what has
been published is applicable to organic as well as conventional agricultural systems. However, a
wider information resource exists that should be used for study of organic production systems
in agriculture. As described above, much of the information in organic farming is available
from farmers who have accumulated this expertise through years of practical experience, and
