Navigating Food Security: Empowering Agricultural Educators of Pacific Islands in Resilient Production Practices via Train-the-Trainer Workshops

Commodities

Practices

• Animal Production: animal protection and health
• Crop Production: nutrient management
• Education and Training: extension

The U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) face environmental, economic, and social challenges that limit agricultural production and food security of this underserved and vulnerable region. Government and educational programs have identified a need for assistance to overcome challenges such as limited resources and a lack of specialized training. This support is crucial for addressing key areas like new crop pest and disease management, soil fertility, and livestock production to secure sustainable food futures.

This project addresses the needs of the USAPI by utilizing force-multiplier effects of community extension and agricultural educators and empowering them with skillsets and competencies through Train-the-Trainer workshops. These workshops will be a hybrid of conceptual presentations, experiential hands-on demonstrations (e.g., soil testing, air-layering, static hydroponics, and animal husbandry), and thought-provoking discussions of bridging modern sustainable practices with traditional farming systems. Trainees will receive resources and skillsets to implement educational outreach programs for crop and livestock producers. The project team will then conduct follow-up evaluations after six months to gauge project adoption and impact. Efforts will be focused in American Samoa (AS), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to strengthen existing relationships there, build a broader sustainable agriculture network, and improve food security capacity in vulnerable and remote islands in the Pacific.

This project aims to maximize our impact by conducting Train-the-Trainer, hands-on workshops, providing extension and agricultural professionals in FSM, RMI, and AS with resources, and strengthening partnerships to support efforts long-term. To achieve these goals, the specific objectives of this project are the following:

1. Strengthen the educational outreach capacity of extension educators and agricultural professionals in USAPI regions to further improve the success and livelihoods of their stakeholders
   • Conduct Train-the-Trainer workshops and round table discussions on subjects such as integrated pest management (IPM), soil fertility and health, plant propagation, hydroponics, crop variety trial establishment, and poultry production
   • Incorporate hands-on teaching demonstrations into programming to build confidence and competency in educators
   • Introduce novel technologies and practices appropriate for limited-resource and remote communities
2. Increase awareness of sustainable agricultural practices that promote soil health, genetic diversity, ecosystem health, and food security in vulnerable island communities of the Pacific
   • Develop and share resources highlighting new and novel technologies and practices that have proven successful in Pacific-based sustainable agricultural settings
   • Provide resources to extension educators and agricultural professionals to disseminate these concepts to their communities and stakeholders
   • Supplement Pacific traditional farming systems that are models of sustainable agricultural practices
3. Evaluate the regional, economic, social, and environmental implications of Train-the-Trainer exchanges for both USAPI and Hawaii
   • Track the level of adoption of educators and project team members in their own educational outreach programs