Progress report for EDS24-058
Project Information
Climate change represents one of the biggest threats to agricultural productivity around the world. In Puerto Rico, extreme weather events and pest and disease outbreaks represent one of the biggest climate change threats to smallholder farmers (Rodríguez Cruz, 2021). In many cases, existing or historic approaches for the control of these phytopathogens are no longer reliable because of extreme changes in climate. Thus, there is a need to increase the use of integrated disease management practices and develop mitigation and adaptation strategies that can minimize the impacts of climate change on food production and availability. Understanding smallholder farmers’ educational needs and increasing access to information and awareness of climate change through education and training is a key first step to enhance their adaptive capacity and reach that goal. In a primary effort to increase accessible training and education to these communities, we developed From the Classroom to the Farm, a course aimed to increase awareness of basic concepts in plant pathology, integrated disease management and sustainable practices to smallholder farmers and agricultural professionals in Puerto Rico. The course is composed of 3 workshops: (1) Foundations of plant pathology, (2) Disease in tropical crops, and (3) Integrated and sustainable control practices. Each workshop is divided into sessions that contain a detailed lesson plan, activities, and assessments, which were developed using evidence-based pedagogical practices. Field days, laboratory experiments and hands-on experiential activities are included to promote learning that is student-centered and collaborative. Through the development of this course, our primary goals are to (1) Enhance Puerto Rican farmers’ knowledge about integrated pest management and adaptive capacity in the face of a series of obstacles including natural disasters and limited resources in the island; (2) increase accessible education and practical tools for disease and pest management for underrepresented farming communities on alternative adaptation and management strategies; (3) increase farmers’ connections with Extension Faculty, other farmers, community and educational resources and programs; and (4) provide Extension agents and interested institutions with training and professional development experiences (Train the trainer).
- Enhance Puerto Rican farmers’ knowledge about integrated pest management and adaptive capacity in the face of a series of obstacles including natural disasters and limited resources on the island.
- Increase accessible education and practical tools for disease and pest management for underrepresented farming communities on alternative adaptation and management strategies.
- Increase farmers’ connections with Extension Faculty, other farmers, and community and educational resources and programs.
- Provide Extension Faculty and interested institutions with training and professional development experiences (Train the trainer).
Cooperators
- - Producer
Education
Education apporach used is the KWL chart:
This method encourages participants to think about what they Know, what they Want to know, and what they have Learned about a topic.
Activating Background Knowledge:By prompting learners to recall what they already know, you help them connect new information to existing frameworks, making learning more meaningful and efficient.
Developing a Purpose for Learning: Knowing what you already know helps you identify gaps in your knowledge, which can motivate you to learn more.
Summarizing and Reflecting: The "Learned" section of the KWL chart encourages learners to synthesize the new information and reflect on what they have learned.
Learning Styles: Understanding your learning style (such as visual) can help you tailor your learning approach to what resonates best with you.
Learning by Doing: Engaging in hands-on activities and applying what you've learned can solidify your understanding and make the learning experience more memorable.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
The main target audience in this project are Puerto Rican actual or future growers, whether directly or indirectly through their extension professionals. We will target them using two different approaches: (A) Grower Course and (B) Train the Trainer. We will use an evidence-based lesson plan that has already been developed in both English and Spanish. This lesson plan will be printed and distributed for both growers and extension professionals. The lesson plan will be made available digitally on UPR’s Extension website. For the grower course, growers will apply and be selected to the program based on their responses to an online or in person questionnaire that will have some questions about their commitment to the program, educational interest in the topics discussed in this course and their needs as it related to their farms. Participants will be encouraged to engage in an online community where they will be able to keep in touch with their cohort and other extension professionals after the course, for further support in any challenges they might face related to plant disease management. For the ¨Train the Trainer¨ section, we will be targeting extension professionals by selecting them due to their own professional interests and their commitment to the program, based on their responses to an online questionnaire. The importance of targeting extension professionals is that they will be able to continue to implement the lesson plans in their own non-formal teaching curricula. Specific details of these approaches are discussed below.
General Project Outcomes and Deliverables:
- Printed workbooks that will be used by growers and farmers and will be available online.
- Printed and digital materials with relevant IPM information.
- Printed and digital workbook with lesson plans that can be used by instructors.
- Certification for both growers and extension professionals that they can use for their own professional development.
- Online community using Slack, Facebook, or WhatsApp (depending on the group's needs) that will continue to support course participants.
Workbooks
Lesson plan workbooks in both English and Spanish have already been created and contain detailed instructions for all sessions of the workshops, as well as instructions for activities and its respective assessments, activities’ handouts, and presentations. These lesson plans span the whole course. These workbooks will be used by growers during the grower course and by extension professionals as they learn about how to implement them in their own work. These workbooks have been submitted for publication in the Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education and are currently under review. We ask for these workbooks to not be distributed.
Material access link (English Version) = https://github.com/ncoloncarrion/FCFLessonPlanEnglish.git
Material access link (Spanish Version) = https://github.com/ncoloncarrion/FCFLessonPlanSpanish.git
Part A: Grower Course
We will provide the course in Spanish twice for two different cohorts (2024 and 2025). Each course will take 3 months, because there will be one workshop per month. The participants would need to participate in all three workshops on the short course. Promotion of this short course will be done online through UPR-Extension´s Official Website, through the Puerto Rican College of Agronomists Official Website and social media, and in person by sharing with UPR Extension faculty. Growers will sign up through an online form where they will submit an application in which they will describe their interest and commitment to this program. We will have some extension professionals assist in the implementation of this course. These people will be given the opportunity to participate in the “Train the Trainer” section and will be sharing their experience with their peers.
Grower Short Course Itinerary (2025):
Day 1 – Workshop at the Juana Díaz Agricultural Experimental Station
Day 2 – Workshop at Diagnostic Laboratory at the Juana Díaz Agricultural Experimental Station
Day 3 – Field Day at Model Farm in the Southern Region of Puerto Rico
Workshop Descriptions
*Detailed lesson plans in both English and Spanish have been completed for all workshops. They will be modified to address specific farmer needs and interests, which will be evaluated through an initial survey
Day 1: Workshop at the Juana Díaz Agricultural Experimental Station - “Foundations of Plant Pathology and Adapting to Climate Change in a Sustainable Way”
The goal of the Foundations of plant pathology workshop is to build a foundational knowledge base on plant pathology and climate change for participants. This workshop is divided into three sessions covering three topics: (a) Introduction to plant pathology and climate change, (b) Signs and symptoms of disease, and (c) Factors causing disease in plants.
Session 1: Introduction to plant pathology, climate change and sustainability
In this session the basic concepts of plant pathology are taught through the alternation of short- lecture presentations and hand-on activities. This workshop goes over the foundations and history of plant pathology and its importance, introduction to climate change and disease development, and the concepts behind the disease triangle and its limitations. Instructor will present a K-W-L chart to participants to evaluate prior understanding and allow for self-evaluation (see evaluation section for more detail).
Session 2: Signs and symptoms of disease
This session introduces the concept of signs and symptoms of plant disease. It goes over the definitions of signs and symptoms of disease. Here the instructor will provide a 30-minute presentation followed by 30 minutes directed towards the completion of Activity #1: Signs & Symptoms of Plant Disease Sheet (S&S sheet), focused on collaborative learning and application. For assessing participants’ learning following the lecture, the S&S sheet will be complemented with a holistic rubric (see evaluation section for more detail).
Session 3: Factors causing disease in plants
This session goes over the agents’ causing diseases in plants. It focuses on infectious agents (fungi, viruses, bacteria, and nematodes) and non-infectious agents. This session walks through each group and their characteristics as infectious agents, and discusses the main non- infectious agents associated with disease in plants. Furthermore, it guides participants to distinguish between diseases caused by infectious and non-infectious agents. Finally, it covers the proper ways to record data and report information to Extension Faculty or diagnostic laboratories. The instructor will provide a 1-hour presentation.
Day 2: Workshop at Diagnostic Laboratory the Juana Díaz Agricultural Experimental Station - “Sustainable Disease Management in Puerto Rican Crops of Economic and Cultural Importance”
This workshop introduces the concept of diseases in tropical diseases group by host type: vegetables or fruits. It walks through the most common diseases in vegetable and fruit tropical crops, characteristics of the pathogen, common symptoms, and detection methods. These two groups were selected based on the results of the main crops worked by farmers in a previously developed grower survey. The two main categories were vegetables and fruits. The top two crops in each category were selected. However, in this course, we will be surveying participants before the course to understand their specific needs and modify the content to address them. The top two crops and diseases that are more problematic in their own farms will be selected for this workshop. These will be discussed in two sessions.
Session 1: Diseases in groups of crops of interests (For example: Vegetables)
Session 2: Diseases in second group of crops of interest (For example: Tree fruits or Starchy crops)
The instructor will provide a presentation followed by the completion of two hands-on activities: Activity #2: Factors Causing Disease in Plants and alternative Activity #2: Characterization of Disease. Both activities are based on the principle of experiential learning. During Activity #2: Factors Causing Disease in Plants, participants will apply the learning obtain in Workshop 1 Session 3 on proper ways to record data and report it to Extension Faculty and diagnostic laboratories. Participants will be provided a diseased plant and will prepare a report with the main information needed for Extension Faculty and diagnostic laboratories to diagnose the plant. Assessment during this activity will rely on the completion of a checklist. Alternative Activity #2: Characterization of Disease focus on the hands-on completion of laboratory methods for the detection of diseases. For the purpose of this session and the sake of time, a modification of this activity will be implemented. Participants will obtain a sample of a diseased plant and will isolate the disease agent as detailed in the workbook. Nonetheless, instructors will have pre-prepared plates with disease agents for them to visualized at the moment (no wait for growth and incubation). Participants will be assessed based on their process and on their outcome. Assessment during their process will rely on one-on- one assessment and feedback with the instructors.
Day 3: Field Day at Model Farm in the Southern Region of Puerto Rico - “Integrated Pest Management and Sustainable Disease Management Practices”
The goal of this workshop is to introduce the concept of control and management practices for plant diseases. The workshop is designed to be completed in one session. The workshop begins with a session entitled “Control and Management Practices for Plant Disease”. This 2-hour workshop walks through the different types of control practices (biological control, chemical control, cultural control, and physical control), their differences, uses, advantages and limitations. The first hour is dedicated to the introduction of biological, chemical, cultural, and physical control practices. The instructor will provide definitions, advantages and disadvantages, and mode of action for each control practice. The second hour is dedicated to the completion of Activity #3.
For Activity #3, participants will be asked to develop a concept map of one challenge they experience in their farms, related to plant diseases, and what practices they could implement to control it. Because development of concept maps can be daunting for some individuals, we will incorporate a “Fill-in-the-map” template. Once the concept maps are finished, participants will be paired with an Extension Faculty that will be recruited prior to the workshop. They will discuss the concept maps with Extension Faculty while receiving feedback. If enough Extension Faculty are not available for this activity, the farmers will be paired in groups and asked to discuss what they learned with each other implementing collaborative learning.
Part B: Train the Trainer
We will be targeting growers indirectly by providing a training workshop for extension professionals in Spanish in 2025 that will show them how to use the materials in their own extension programming and where we will share the lessons learned from the 2024 short course with growers.
Extension Professional ¨Train the Trainer¨ Itinerary (2026):
Full day training at the Juana Díaz Agricultural Experimental Station with extension professionals from around the island. They will be learning how to use the workbook (which includes all the lesson plans) and the materials for their own growers around the island. They will do some of the activities and discuss how they will use their available resources to teach their growers.
Learning Outcomes
factor casusing diseases
signs and symptoms of disease identification
Project Outcomes
Educating farmers and training extension agricultural trainers from universities, along with fostering networking opportunities, about plant disease management and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies in the context of climate change is crucial for achieving long-term sustainability. This initiative will empower both farmers and trainers with knowledge and tools to mitigate the risks associated with climate-induced plant diseases while ensuring economic viability, environmental protection, and social well-being.
Economic Benefits
- Increased Crop Yields and Quality: Farmers will gain a better understanding of how to manage plant diseases effectively, leading to healthier crops and higher yields.
- Reduced Input Costs: By implementing IPM strategies, farmers can reduce reliance on expensive chemical pesticides and fertilizers, lowering overall production costs.
- Enhanced Market Competitiveness: Producing disease-free, high-quality crops will enable farmers to meet market standards and increase profitability.
- Resilience to Market Fluctuations: A diversified pest management approach can enhance long-term farm stability by reducing losses from unexpected pest outbreaks.
- Strengthened Agricultural Economy: Training extension trainers from universities will create a ripple effect, ensuring widespread adoption of best practices and enhancing the overall agricultural economy.
Environmental Benefits
- Reduction in Chemical Use: Adoption of IPM strategies encourages the use of biological controls, crop rotation, and resistant crop varieties, leading to decreased pesticide application.
- Preservation of Biodiversity: By minimizing chemical inputs, beneficial insects, pollinators, and soil microorganisms will thrive, contributing to a balanced ecosystem.
- Soil and Water Conservation: Sustainable disease management practices reduce soil degradation and prevent pesticide runoff, protecting water sources from contamination.
- Climate Change Adaptation: Farmers and extension trainers will be better prepared to manage the evolving challenges posed by climate change, ensuring the long-term sustainability of agricultural systems.
Social Benefits
- Improved Farmer Knowledge and Skills: Training programs will enhance farmers’ expertise in disease identification, prevention, and sustainable management practices.
- Health and Safety: Reducing the use of hazardous chemicals will lower the risk of exposure-related health issues among farmers and rural communities.
- Strengthened Community Collaboration: Encouraging knowledge-sharing among farmers and extension trainers fosters community resilience and cooperation in tackling agricultural challenges.
- Food Security and Nutrition: Higher crop productivity and quality will contribute to a stable food supply, improving nutritional outcomes for communities.
- Training University Extension Trainers: Equipping agricultural extension trainers with up-to-date knowledge and skills ensures the widespread dissemination of effective plant disease management and IPM strategies. This multiplier effect enables more farmers to benefit from expert guidance and ongoing support, further strengthening the agricultural sector’s resilience.
- Networking Opportunities: Facilitating collaboration between farmers, extension trainers, researchers, and policymakers will promote the exchange of innovative solutions and ensure continuous learning and adaptation to emerging challenges in plant disease management.