MSAS'2010: minisymposium
Developing an Agricultural Education Program in Malian Public High Schools
Organizers:
Lyle Westrom, Harouna Maiga and Susan Westrom
University of Minnesota, Crookston, MN, USA
One way to enhance land productivity, food production and economic trade balance is to develop a strong agricultural education program for youth and adults. Food is a basic staple of life. Food production involves nearly 80% of the Malian population (according to the CIA World Factbook). Food production can become a way of life rather than a method of enhancing the standard of living for both producers and consumers. An education program that builds a pride in being a part of a noble occupation in the world (food production) and stimulates the desire to enhance both food quality and land productivity while favoring conservation of the environment can be a real stimulus to a country's economy while allowing rural communities and individual families to thrive at a more comparable level to urban populations.
This workshop will examine the target populations for high school agriculture programs, the training needed for teachers of agriculture, the components of agriculture programs for both high school and adults, and the facilities needed in order to build a successful nationwide program. High school components will require strong classroom education, an associated youth organization to stimulate leadership and a means of applying classroom education to the life and family of every student. Adult programs will target production strategies along with economic feasibility/returns for existing operations and proposed changes in those operations.
This workshop will look at a proposed timeline for implementation of two major phases of this program. The first step of phase one will be to develop trained agricultural education high school teachers that are well prepared with both technical skills and pedagogical skills. This may require collaboration between existing colleges that train educators and students of agriculture. The second step will be to provide motivation and funding for schools to incorporate these programs into existing schools. Phase two will begin approximately five years later. In this phase, the goal will be to develop an adult agricultural education program with teacher training in andragogy and agricultural technology. Students will be trained in production and economics. Where these programs are housed and how they are funded may be a topic in an upcoming years rather than this conference.
Evaluation of a program such as this in Mali must be ongoing, but should also involve a review of the results attained in other countries such as the United States prior to implementation in Mali. This workshop will allow Malians to examine the United States Agricultural Education Program to see what components can be utilized in Mali and what new ideas must be developed to fit the needs of Mali.
The ultimate goal of this workshop will be a practical look into an enhanced educational program that can improve Malian nutrition, national economic trade, and raise the standard of living for individual families. Agricultural education has been highly successful in many countries in the world. Can it in Mali? This workshop will begin dialog between key Malian stakeholders on the possibility of developing a high school and adult agricultural education program.