Trainer's Training in Agroforestry Practices in the Southeastern Region: 1890 Agroforestry Consortium Initiative

Project Overview

ES13-114
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2013: $99,540.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2015
Region: Southern
State: Alabama
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Uma Karki
Tuskegee University

Annual Reports

Commodities

  • Nuts: pecans
  • Additional Plants: herbs
  • Animals: bovine, poultry, goats, sheep
  • Miscellaneous: mushrooms

Practices

  • Animal Production: animal protection and health, grazing management, mineral supplements, grazing - multispecies, pasture fertility, pasture renovation, preventive practices, range improvement, grazing - rotational, housing, stockpiled forages, stocking rate, watering systems, winter forage
  • Crop Production: conservation tillage
  • Education and Training: demonstration, display, extension, mentoring, workshop
  • Farm Business Management: budgets/cost and returns
  • Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, habitat enhancement, riparian buffers
  • Production Systems: agroecosystems
  • Soil Management: organic matter, soil analysis, soil quality/health

    Proposal abstract:

    This project is an initiative of the 1890 Agroforestry Consortium (1890AC) to train field-level extension and technical assistant personnel (hereafter field personnel) and lead landowners in agroforestry practices in the Southeastern Region. The 1890AC was established in 2000 under the aegis of USDA Forest Service to enable collaborative partnerships among 1890 institutions in agroforestry research, teaching, and extension. Tuskegee University will lead the project and five other 1890 land-grant universities: Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Florida A&M, Kentucky State, and North Carolina A&T will collaborate. Despite the need for agroforestry extension education for limited resource landowners in the Southeastern Region, the capacity of 1890 institutions is very limited to serve them. The project goal is to train field personnel and limited resource landowners in agroforestry practices for efficient management of land resources. Project objectives are to 1) develop training curricula in agroforestry practices, and 2) train field personnel and lead landowners in agroforestry practices in the Southeastern Region. From the beginning, landowners' needs and interests will be included by involving interested, lead landowners in the project. Major project activities are to prepare training curricula and conduct hands-on training in agroforestry practices. Targeted trainees will be reached through the Cooperative Extension Program of land-grant universities, relevant community-based organizations, and USDA-NRCS offices. Development of training curricula, several field-level trainers, and lead landowners willing to engage in agroforestry practices are the expected results. Project results will be evaluated using pre- and post-workshop tests, follow-up surveys, and site visits.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    1) To develop training curricula in Agroforestry practices
    2) To train field-level extension and technical assistant personnel and lead landowners in agroforestry practices in the Southeastern Region

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.