Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Animal Production: aquaculture, feed/forage, grazing management, grazing - rotational, parasite control
- Crop Production: cover crops, greenhouses, irrigation, organic fertilizers, varieties and cultivars, water management
- Education and Training: demonstration, display, extension, networking, workshop, youth education
- Farm Business Management: value added
- Pest Management: biological control, chemical control, cultivation, cultural control, integrated pest management, mulches - general, mulching - plastic, physical control, prevention, sanitation, soil solarization, trap crops
- Production Systems: aquaponics, hydroponics, organic agriculture
- Soil Management: composting, earthworms, organic matter
- Sustainable Communities: employment opportunities, local and regional food systems, sustainability measures, urban agriculture, urban/rural integration
Abstract:
Alabama SARE program (Auburn University and Alabama A&M University combined) serves over 1000 small producers, educators, and community gardeners each year since 2010. Urban agriculture is a growing interest within metropolitan areas across the state of Alabama. Unfortunately, the new urban small farmers have little to no experience with agriculture and the latest modern production methods available. The SARE program at Alabama A&M supports small urban farms and community gardeners in the northern parts of the state. This proposal essentially supports the Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Program and proposes development of training content and demonstration plots for the novel urban small farmer. This proposal will continue to focus on train-the-trainer part more intensively with Auburn and Alabama A&M Universities cross-training Extension agents and county coordinators using a mix of online and on-farm training.
Project objectives:
UrbanAg: Food Production & Sustainable Communities Training: ACES/Urban Affairs Unit provides services to underserved clientele in urban areas in the state of Alabama, the major objectives of this proposal are:
1. Development of integrated multidisciplinary training module focused on urban gardens, intensive small scale vegetable production, organic production, and pest management aspects for urban food production (emphasis on integrating novel bioengineered technology)
2. Provide training to statewide UREAs, educators, and potential urban food producers through the use of online curriculum and onsite field-days and workshops.