Current Status of Agricultural Education
Agricultural education can be defined as the study of agricultural practices in relationship to business management, natural resources such as land (Dubinchenko, 2014). It also entails studying the three sciences which include physics, chemistry and biology and applying those sciences in the field of agriculture. Studies in the agricultural education class are taught on skills of relating agriculture to other disciplines they might have learnt. Therefore this paper will focus on finding out the current status of agricultural education and importance of the education since many students are now studying the course.
Agricultural education is aimed at ensuring students have the necessary skills which will enable them understand agriculture at a bigger perspective. Students are able to learn the importance of agriculture at a global level. Agriculture is important thus many countries especially developing countries depend on agriculture as their main source of income (Dubinchenko, 2014). Thus students are installed with scientific skills as well as problem solving skills that will enable them relate agriculture with business. Agriculture in the US is related with business as well as other industries which are of economic value. Thus agricultural education in America is important since other industries are incorporated in the study and students learn skills of relating agriculture with other industries as one way of ensuring economic growth. Currently the agricultural education program puts more emphasis on environmental concerns; food issues and helping students gain life skills in their development (Evenson & Pingali, 2007). Thus the education is important since students learn different issues that affect them as well as the community and learn strategies of solving issues affecting the people.
Agricultural education is not all about studying agriculture as the name suggest. It involves learning skills in life of an individual or groups of people which will help them in the process of life development. The current agricultural education program is seen to put focus on studying forestry, conservation, natural resources management, food processing and production, aquaculture, economics, sales and marketing but is not limited to only these disciplines (Dubinchenko, 2014). The program ensures that the community and individuals have the necessary life skills and get basic information on agriculture as well as opportunities that come with agriculture. People who study this course have the necessary life skills and thus are able to relate well with others and have many opportunities out there since they have learnt all the necessary life skills.
Agricultural education programs are offered in secondary schools, colleges and in both public and private universities, since this education is very useful in enhancing life growth and development (Evenson & Pingali, 2007). The program ensures that students learn three major components that come with this useful education. The components include leadership growth, career programs and official classroom education which are part of the curriculum in American schools. Students are taught on the basics of agriculture and taught on basic practices of agriculture and opportunities one can get having learnt education agriculture. More than eight thousand agricultural training programs are found in the US with more than 500000 students enrolling to study the programs (Evenson & Pingali, 2007). Agricultural education has a bright future in the US since many colleges and universities are offering the programs thus many students are enrolling themselves in those classes. Thus agriculture will be more important to the people since through agricultural education programs people will appreciate agriculture since it comes with many different opportunities.
References
Dubinchenko, S. (2014). The Mechanisms Of Agricultural Sciences, Education And Business Integrati. Management Theory & Studies For Rural Business & Infrastructure Development, 36(4), 794-801. doi:10.15544/mts.2014.074
Evenson, R. E., & Pingali, P. L. (2007). Handbook of agricultural economics: Farmers, farm production and farm markets. Amsterdam: Elsevier, North Holland.
