Rural Alaska Community Composting Training Program

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: workshop
• Soil Management: composting, soil quality/health

Led by the Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc. (RurAL CAP) in partnership with Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT), the Rural Alaska Community Composting Training Program will provide training, resources, and support for rural Alaskans wanting to improve the productivity and sustainability of their agricultural operations through composting. RurAL CAP Growing Rural Opportunities for Wellness (GROW) Program works with numerous farmers and gardeners who have identified composting as a crucial need in their rural Alaska communities; composting is a key element in developing and maintaining a productive soil environment for sustainable agriculture. The primary goal is to increase the productivity and sustainability of rural Alaska gardeners' and farmers' agricultural operations by improving soil health through composting. The objectives of the project are 1. To increase rural Alaska producers' knowledge of composting and the use of compost to improve soil health for maximized productivity; 2. To increase knowledge and skills necessary to identify and assess local composting needs and resources, and develop plans to either establish a composting system or improve upon their existing system.; and 3. Participants will have increased support and capacity to implement individualized composting and soil management plans. The project will include an in-person training in Cordova, Alaska where participants will test and analyze their local soil health, learn about various composting methods, and develop composting plans tailored to the unique needs of their region. The project will also provide ongoing support through site visits and a series of online trainings and follow-up meetings to provide continued instruction, troubleshooting and networking opportunities, as well as other support.

The primary goal of the Rural Alaska Community Composting Training Program is to improve the productivity of rural Alaska gardens and farms through training and technical assistance on composting and its use to improve soil health and productivity. "Training in production and utilization of composted waste materials in warm, humid climates to improve soils for horticultural cropping systems," ES01-056, demonstrated that the main barrier to producers' use of compost was lack of education, which is the main content of this proposal. Compost building, soil amendments, and appropriate applications will be extensively covered in the workshop.

Objective 1: Over the course of the project period, 12 rural Alaska gardeners and/or farmers increase their knowledge of composting and of the use of compost to improve soil health and maximize garden or farm productivity.

Objective 2: During the in-person training in Year One, 12 rural Alaska gardeners and/or farmers will gain the knowledge and skills needed to identify and assess their local composting needs and resources, and develop plans to either establish a composting system, or improve upon their existing system.

Objective 3: Over the course of the project period, 12 rural Alaska gardeners and/or farmers will have increased support and capacity to implement individualized composting and soil management plans.