Final report for SPDP22-10
Project Information
Production of cotton requires some of the most intensive uses of pesticides and water resources of any major row crop in the southern United States. Improvement in the environmental stewardship of this crop would have substantial impacts upon the long term sustainability of agriculture. Many of the newly hired agents step into their roles without extensive education or practical background in row crop production, let alone with cotton. This project developed a set of 12 video training tools, along with revising and compiling Cooperative Extension bulletins pertinent to the video training tools. The training tools were designed to provide a platform for an Extension certificate program with new/young agents to improve and enhance there skills and knowledge about sustainable cotton production. In turn, they will become more effective in promoting those principles among their stakeholders. Developed educational material focus on practices and principles of sustainable cotton production based upon its economic viability, social consequences, and environmental impacts.
The target audience will be county agents working in counties/parishes with cotton acreage, especially those agents with a limited background in the cotton industry. The goal will be to enhance the agents’ ability to create and deliver educational content that improves the sustainability of cotton production. Specific objectives are:
- Promote best management practices of cotton production.
- Improve the skills and knowledge of county agents in regards to the cotton industry and specifically sustainable production strategies.
- Reduction of unnecessary pesticide applications, inefficient use of synthetic fertilizers and water resources, and improvement of soil health in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana cotton fields.
To meet these objectives, 10 Cooperative Extension Specialists combined efforts to develop a set of teaching/training aids to certify county/parish agents in all aspects of cotton production. Eight of these specialists were from Texas, one from Oklahoma, and one from Louisiana. In addition to these personnel, two industry leaders were involved in the development of these training aids. This group of 11 research, extension, and industry leaders addressed the need to enhance the agents’ ability to create and deliver educational content to improve the sustainability of cotton production.
Education
Following the afore mentioned 48 item survey that indicated a paucity of sustainable cotton production principles and activities, the leaders of this SARE project proposed a program to educate/train young extension agents. The survey revealed a glaring need for training in sustainable cotton practices. The survey results verified the need for an effort to update/train county/parish extension personnel in all aspects for sustainable cotton production. This project developed 12 high quality training video and compiled a companion written document that compiled the printed Extenion publications pertaining to cotton production. These materials will be used to create a training/education program to acquaint young county/parish extension agents to help farmers in the profitable and environmentally sustainable cotton production. These materials are appropriate for use in developing a certificate program in sustainable upland cotton production.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Gain understanding of training needs of agents within sustainable cotton
production
A 48-item survey was conducted with county extension agents, specialists, and district administrators to determine which knowledge areas were strengths and weaknesses of current extension personnel. This feedback was used to plan out learning modules and course objectives.
The survey revealed a glaring need for training in sustainable cotton practices. Every one of the seven competencies indicated a large knowledge gap. The survey results were used to create an outline for the online course created over the duration of this project and introduce the course to agents who may be interested in taking the course for professional development upon its completion. The needs assessment data resulted in one conference presentation and one journal article.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Project Outcomes
The learning outcomes and impact of this SARE project remains a future outcome. The optimistic time line that proposed a certificate program in sustainable upland cotton production in place by 2023 was not attainable. However, the group was successful in producing 12 high-quality video that outline all aspects of sustainable upland cotton production along with a "new" extension written publication that textualizes the information in the videos as a quick reference and refresher. The certificate program remains a viable goal across the participating states and hopefully will be realized in the near future. Thus, the impact cannot be verified at this time but the impact of this effort remains potentially significant for the U.S. cotton producer.
We anticipate that the Extension personnel involved in this SARE project will continue the effort post award and that these materials will result in educating young extension personnel and thus the cotton producers of the USA.