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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] a research project is born

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  • From: Etienne Goyer <etienne.goyer AT outlands.ca>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] a research project is born
  • Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:57:47 -0400

On 10-11-02 03:00 AM, KAKerby AT aol.com wrote:
> Gloves are off now; maybe I'm being melodramatic but this strikes me as
> one of the most crucial questions we can be asking right now. If our
> universities are only doing a spotty job, or a uniformly dismal job, of
> teaching the next generation what's really at stake, why tolerate a
> status quo that ain't working? Or perhaps those efforts are already
> underway, and I personally just haven't seen or heard about it yet. In
> which case, we should spread the word. So, whatever your opinions of
> the above, please share. I think everyone should be talking about this.

The problem most likely stem from the fact that the universities you are
referring to probably do not see their mission as "training farmer".
They probably see themselves as training agronomists, scientists and
researchers. And if you ask me, it's perfectly ok like that.

I am not very familiar with the US education system, and I understand
that it differ significantly from mine. In my part of the world
(Québec), the agriculture department of universities trains agronomist,
a specialized type of engineer that focus on solving problems related to
agriculture. Agronomist receive a lot of fundamental training as to
understand the science behind the agricultural problems they are
expected to solve. As an engineering-like discipline, they also receive
some training in the management practice of their field of study, and
are expected to do three hands-on internship during the course of their
degree. Some agronomist end up farming, and they should not start
completely clueless on the practical aspect of the trade, but that is
not the focus of their formal training.

For those that wants to become *farmer*, a better choice is trade school
and technical college programs focused on the practice of farming.
Usually, these program are lighter on the science side, and heavier on
the management side, with a strong focus on practical skills (through
internship, mostly). The province have normalized these programs, and I
would dare say that, mostly, they deliver as advertised. Of course, you
can only learn so much in two or three years of formal training. Hence
you cannot possibly expect students graduating from these program to be
fully capable farmers on day one. But they should be good enough at the
basic.

Another tangent in this discussion is how little universities and
college institutions care about the "new" farming paradigm of
organic/sustaible small-scale production and local marketing. It hold
true in my part of the world too. But personally, I would not despair.
These institutions carries a lot of inertia, and it does take some time
for them to adapt. We can already see progress in that matter. I am,
myself, an alumni of a micro-diploma in organic farming from Université
Laval in Québec City. The McDonald College, attached to McGill
University in Montréal, has a prolific research group focused on organic
farming. CÉGEP de Victoriaville (a technical college) just launched a
three-years program in organic vegetable production, led by some of the
leading practioners in the province. Things are shaping up, really.
Perhaps not as fast as we would like, but still.

Salutations fermières,

Etienne





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