Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Education and Training: decision support system, extension, technical assistance
- Farm Business Management: risk management
Proposal abstract:
Extreme weather and increased incidence of infectious diseases pose significant threats to NH Agriculture sector and state’s Food Security. State and federal agencies, collaborating with non profits and Extension systems must be ready to respond to these challenges.
Through key informant interviews and digital surveys conducted with extension educators and beginner farmers, it has become evident that there is a pressing need for closer collaboration and communication among agencies, particularly in disaster preparedness. Existing successful models and operational procedures can serve as valuable guides, and a project team comprising experts in this field has been assembled.
Our approach to tackling these challenges involves convening a summit, and bringing together key stakeholders and organizational leaders to showcase existing programs and opportunities within each agency that support farmers in disaster response and recovery efforts. With the guidance of a trained facilitator, specific outcome goals will be established prior to the summit. Subsequently, we will launch an approximately eight-week online course tailored for agriculture service providers. Additionally, we are committed to directly educating BIPOC farms to ensure that the insights gathered and generated by this project are accessible and beneficial to them. The project will culminate in the publication of a comprehensive disaster management manual, which will be supported by the course participants and finalized by a graduate-level master's student.
Performance targets from proposal:
- The project will support organizations with a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities in responding to an agricultural emergency, and work through and document lessons learned from previous severe weather events.
- This project aims to equip 20 agriculture service providers (extension, non-profits, state agency) with enhanced knowledge and skills in responding to climate-related disasters, including extreme weather, infectious zoonic disease, and economic relief tools. Participants will be charged with considering how new resources or processes can be made more equitable. Program participants will learn where, when, and how to access climate readiness tools that they can use to support agriculture businesses preparing for or dealing with a disaster.
- 20 ASPs will work with 1 farm each to teach and inform them about the disaster management manual and how they can use it as a tool on their farm.
- Historically excluded (BIPOC) farmers (4) will be invited to participate in large group conversations around disaster response, and their voices will be amplified and supported during these conversations and trainings.
- 20 BIPOC farmers will receive direct education on risk management and climate change (how NH extreme weather will affect their farm) to improve the sustainability of their farms.