From the Classroom to the Farm: Exploring Integrated Pest Management & Climate Change for Farmers and Agricultural Educators in Puerto Rico

Commodities

Practices

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).   

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 on 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,
   and community and educational resources and
   programs.  
4. Provide Extension
   Faculty
   and interested institutions with
   training and professional development experiences (Train the
   trainer).