Gleanings from the field: Food security, resilience, and experiential learning

This essay investigates the connection between Nigerian food security and agricultural education curricula. The study explores the importance of incorporating agricultural education within the formal education system with an emphasis on Nigeria in order to address the urgent problems of food insecurity in the nation. It looks at how agricultural education can help people acquire the information, abilities, and mindset needed to increase agricultural output, support sustainable farming methods, and guarantee that every Nigerian has access to wholesome food. In addition to discussing policy implications and reform strategies aimed at strengthening the relationship between agricultural education and food security in Nigeria, the paper emphasises the significance of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector, promoting practical training and experiential learning, and aligning curriculum with industry needs. These strategies include investing in vocational and technical education, youth empowerment programmes, and agricultural extension services. The paper offers insights into how Nigeria might leverage the transformative potential of agricultural education to achieve food security, support rural development, and create a more resilient and sustainable food system by examining successful initiatives and best practices. Overall, the study emphasises how crucial agricultural education curricula are to tackling issues with food security and promoting agricultural growth in Nigeria. Keywords: Agricultural Education, Food Security, Curriculum, Curriculum Integration, Sustainable Agriculture

The nature of food production has changed in the 21st century. This is the consequence of changing eating habits due to globalization and urbanization, as well as the effects of climate change such as variable rainfall, fluctuations in temperature, and so on. In this article both the pressures that demand and supply exercise on food security are discussed, as well as what exactly might be necessary to ensure food security. Furthermore, the role that education could play in meeting the challenges of food security is explored by examining the extent to which the CAPS for Life Sciences in South Africa provide opportunities for learners to be educated to cope with future challenges related to food production. The exploration finds that food security is included as a theme in CAPS for Life Sciences and that opportunities are therefore provided for learners to be educated about the challenges related to food production and supply. But, the article also raises concern about the limits that a prescriptive, content-based and test-driven curriculum might have on the quality of the learning experience with respect to the food production, supply and security.

This study contributes to the literature on the impact of farmer contact with agricultural extension services on farm productivity, drawing on a unique panel sample of households residing in three resettlement areas of rural Zimbabwe. It pays particular attention to the potential confounding effects of the biases identified by Birkhaeuser, Evenson, and Feder. Specifically, we exploit the longitudinal nature of our data to estimate the impact of extension on the value of crop production per hectare, with and without controls for unobservable household fixed effects. The attraction of this estimator is that the differencing process rids the specification of the correlation between extension and the disturbance term. We find that after controlling for innate productivity characteristics and farmers' ability using household fixed- effects estimation, access to agricultural extension services, defined as receiving one or two visits per agricultural year, raises the value of crop production by about 15%. This parameter estimate is statistically significant. Another unique feature of these data are, for a subsample, extension worker assessments of farmers' ability. We find that farmers with above-average ability are indeed more productive, producing 40%-50% higher output per hectare of cropped area. Controlling for innate productivity using locality dummies, farm plot characteristics, and farmers' ability using these assessments of ability, we continue to obtain a positive association between access to extension and productivity, an association that is equal in magnitude to our fixed-effects results. However, we also find considerable variability in these parameter estimates across individual crop years.

The role of school gardens varies from place to place depending on the goal(s) pursued by the practitioners. Firstly, researchers have noted that school gardens are used as a strategy for improving food security. During the 1st World War, school gardens served as an important source of food in Europe and North America. Again, to date, school gardens are considered to have great potential of boosting food security in the developing countries experiencing hunger and malnutrition challenges. Secondly, the educational role has also been emphasised. School gardens serve as an outdoor classroom where learners are equipped with a variety of life skills including food production, teamwork, and good nutritional habits. Furthermore, experiential educationists acknowledge the positive impact that school gardens have on enhancing learning. In South Africa, the Department of Basic Education encourages schools to establish school gardens as part of the National School Nutritional Programme launched by the South African government in 1994 to alleviate food insecurity among learners from poor communities. Schools are also encouraged to use school gardens as educational sites. Nonetheless, to date minimal research has been conducted to examine the educational role of school gardens in South Africa. Thus, this paper reports on the outcomes of an empirical exploration of the use of school gardens as educational sites in the Chris Hani District, South Africa. The study adopted a mixed research approach and is underpinned by the experiential learning theory. A purposive sample of six primary schools drawn from the Chris Hani District was used. From the six schools, a total of 54 students, 18 teachers and 6 principals participated in the study. The fifty-four students responded to the survey questionnaire, while interviews were conducted to elicit qualitative data from 6 principals and 18 teachers. Descriptive statistics and the themes developed were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The results revealed that school gardens were predominantly used as a food security enhancement mechanism. The study recommends the need to incorporate school gardening in the primary school curricula to boost the use of school gardens for educational purposes.\nKEYWORDS: School Garden, educational role, experiential learning, primary schools, Chris Hani District.

This research examines the potential of gender‐transformative approaches (GTAs) to improve gender equality in agricultural extension programs and food security through experiential learning and participatory methods. Scholars of gender and agriculture have long highlighted the gender gap in access to agricultural resources; to address this issue, development organizations have integrated GTAs into their initiatives. The article presents an empirical case study of a gender transformative‐farmer field school (GTA‐FFS) in rural Honduras and examines participants' perceptions of the short‐ and long‐term benefits and limitations of these programs. The findings indicate that GTA‐FFSs can provide participants with valuable knowledge and skills in agriculture, but structural barriers such as lack of suitable land, access to water, labor, and time hinder their ability to apply the learnings. These barriers are particularly salient for women participants. This research contributes to the literature on GTAs by identifying structural barriers to their short‐ and long‐term success. It also offers insights for development practitioners and policymakers engaged in advancing gender equality and food security in rural contexts; in particular, strengthening the rural social safety net.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe faculty and graduate students’ motivation and learning experiences in a multi-institutional, interdisciplinary graduate course focused on the nexus of food and nutritional security, hunger, and sustainability. Design/Methodology/Approach: A one-group pre-experimental case study design was used. Faculty and students completed questionnaires, which included rating scales and open-ended questions. Data were analyzed and triangulated into key findings. Findings: Results indicated that faculty were interested and engaged in the development of the interdisciplinary course, and students were engaged in interdisciplinary learning and developed communication and education skills through experiential place-based learning. Practical Implications: Faculty developed a common understanding of their different disciplinary perspectives that helped provide a more cohesive and complementary interdisciplinary learning experience for students. Students learned about global challenges while identifying similar challenges in their local communities through the experiential learning assignments. Theoretical Implications: The design of the interdisciplinary course helped students think critically and creatively to learn complex issues. Advances in technology and active learning support a flipped classroom model to engage students. Place-based learning combined with interdisciplinary classroom experiences connected students to local real-world contexts and provided students with practical applications of problem-solving, critical thinking, and systems thinking skills. Originality/Value: Graduate students conducted an asset and needs assessment, which connected them to professionals in the community. Students think food and nutritional security, hunger, and sustainability are global challenges and seldom notice food insecurity in their local communities.

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has left more than 38% of households food insecure in the United States. Improved education of food security topics in medical school can improve screening for food insecurity and improve health outcomes. The first aim of this study was to address if participation in an experiential integrative service learning program improved medical students’ understanding of food insecurity. The second aim was to compare knowledge of food insecurity between the general body of medical students and those who participated in the service learning program.MethodsThis was a cohort study at a large medical school in southeast Michigan in 2019–2020. We administered the Food Insecurity for Health Professionals (FISHP) survey to medical student participants; higher scores on the FISHP survey suggest higher knowledge and comfort with food security topics. We administered online Qualtrics surveys to the volunteer group before and after volunteering 12 hours at an urban farm. We also administered a one-time survey to a control group of medical students. We performed univariable and bivariable statistical analyses with StataSE 16. The study was exempted by the institutional IRB.ResultsMedical students in the volunteer group (n = 18) and the control group (n = 66) completed online surveys. Participants in the volunteer group had increased knowledge of food security after volunteering in the service learning program (p = .03). There was a statistically significant difference between the mean FISHP scores for the control group and the volunteer group (p = .001).ConclusionMedical student participation in an experiential integrative service learning program improved knowledge of food security topics and increased comfort discussing food insecurity with patients, compared to students who did not participate. Experiential integrative service learning may improve holistic patient care through physician recognition of food insecurity and other social determinants of health.

Food insecurity is one of the less researched problems that poses a challenge to schools in South Africa. This qualitative study seeks to holistically explore this problem as it adopts Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory as the lenses of exploration. In addition to socio-cultural beliefs on food and academic achievement, Maslow and Vygotsky offer a framework for physiological and cultural theories of how food impacts human brain function and capability. Therefore, this study's primary goal is to investigate the connection between food insecurity and academic achievement in rural South African schools, such as Tshehlo Secondary School in the Capricorn region of the province of Limpopo. Methodologically, this study purposively sampled grade 10,11, and 12 learners from Tshehlo secondary school for focus group discussions, observations, semi-structured interviews, and surveys from top to low achievers. The data collected were thematically analysed as they show that there is a link between food insecurity and learners’ performance in classrooms. Data was analysed to compare the experiences of top and low-performing learners with food insecurity and how it affects their performance in the classroom. Objectives of this study are; (a) to explore the effects of food insecurity on learners’ concentration and attention in the classroom, (b) to explore the impact of food insecurity on learners’ academic achievements, (c) to explore the relationship between food insecurity and learners’ performance in the classroom, (d) to explore any comparative difference between learners from food secure background and those who come from food insecure homes in terms of academic success. Recommendations thereof significantly include (a) devising ways to ensure food security programs in schools, (b) counselling and motivation in schools, and (c) DBE policy development and enforcement which involves even NGO’s with regards to learners’ nutrition. Conclusion entails that food security is more important for high quality achievements in schools as it directly impacts learners’ attitudes towards learning. Furthermore, it is challenging to evaluate the long-term educational effects of food poverty because a large number of the research are cross-sectional rather than longitudinal in character.

This study explored the implementation of gardening programs in schools and homes and examined learners' perception of the usefulness of school-based gardening in Dangcagan District, Bukidnon during the 2024–2025 school year. Specifically, it assessed the learners’ participation in school gardening, their perception of its usefulness, the extent of gardening practice at home, and the relationship among these variables. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational research design, the study involved 253 Grade 6 learners selected through stratified proportional sampling. Data were collected using adapted questionnaires and analyzed through means, standard deviations, and Pearson correlation tests. Results revealed that learners often participated in school-based gardening activities, primarily in planting, weeding, and watering. They highly perceived the gardening program as beneficial, particularly in enhancing vegetable consumption awareness, practical knowledge, and collaboration skills. At home, learners moderately practiced gardening, emphasizing food security and dietary improvements, although selling produce was less common. Significant positive relationships were found between learners’ perception of the usefulness of the school-based gardening program and their participation, as well as between participation in school gardening and the practice of home gardening. These findings affirm that school gardening initiatives foster greater environmental awareness, food security, and practical skills among learners, with implications extending to household practices. The study recommends strengthening school gardening programs through experiential learning, integrating gardening activities across the curriculum, and involving families and communities to sustain engagement. Future research should explore long-term impacts on learners’ nutrition, academic achievement, and community resilience. Enhanced policies and support systems are also suggested to maximize the educational and societal benefits of gardening initiatives in schools and homes.

The National High School Big Data Challenge provides students with a unique opportunity to investigate one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals using open data, analytics, and AI. Through experiential learning, the program equips students with essential data science, critical thinking, and problem solving skills that are becoming increasingly more important in the digital age. The theme for the 2025-2026 program, “Leveraging Big Data and AI to Strengthen Food Security and Promote Sustainable Agriculture” invites students to explore how open data and AI can deepen our understanding of the systems that underpin equitable food production, distribution, and consumption. Students are encouraged to develop innovative data-driven insights and methodologies that contribute to more resilient agricultural practices and sustainable food systems, in alignment with global efforts to advance food security and environmental stewardship. Their investigations covered a wide array of topics, from the effects of climate change on food production to undernourishment and urbanization on a regional and international level. We are continually inspired by the intellectual curiosity, creativity, and analytical skills demonstrated by this next generation of researchers. Their work not only contributes to sustainable agricultural practices but also exemplifies the spirit of innovation that these programs seek to foster. To showcase and celebrate their achievements, two national conferences were held in February 2026: the Eastern Canada Conference at the University of Toronto (February 11, 2026) and the Western Canada Conference at the University of Calgary (February 20, 2026). On behalf of STEM Fellowship, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all participants. We also thank our industry and academic reviewers and mentors, as well as our dedicated team of STEM Fellowship volunteers whose tireless support made this program possible. We would also like to gratefully acknowledge the invaluable partnership and contributions of RBC, Let’s Talk Science, Cisco Academy, National Research Council Canada, Government of Nunavut, Canadian Science Publishing, and the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking of the University of Calgary.

Climate change remains one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, with the Philippines among the most vulnerable due to recurring typhoons, flooding, and sea-level rise. Higher education institutions are tasked with equipping students, particularly in business and marketing, to integrate sustainability into professional practice. This study examined the relationship between climate change awareness and sustainable marketing practices among Bachelor of Science in Business Administration–Marketing Management students at Pilgrim Christian College (PCC). Specifically, it aimed to assess awareness, evaluate sustainable practices, analyze demographic differences, and test the relationship between awareness and practice. Using a descriptive–correlational design, 86 stratified respondents participated through a validated questionnaire and interviews. Results showed that students were generally “Highly Aware” (M = 3.39) of human causes and global warming, but less informed on biodiversity and food security. Sustainable marketing practices were also rated “Highly Sustainable” (M= 3.41), though gaps were noted in peer advocacy, evaluation of green advertising, and project participation. Significant differences emerged by sex and internet use, with female students and research-driven users showing stronger engagement. Correlation analysis revealed that attitudes toward climate action and access to environmental information significantly predicted sustainable practices (p < .05), while knowledge alone did not affect ethical advertising awareness. The study concludes that awareness, while necessary, is insufficient without experiential learning, structured curriculum integration, and peer-led initiatives. Accordingly, the proposed Sustainability Integration in Marketing Education (SIME) framework emphasizes applied projects, institutional partnerships, and advocacy-oriented learning to enhance sustainability literacy and professional practice.

Keywords:small-scale rice farmers, collective action, community rice seed, local innovations, green manure crop, contract farming, participatory technology development, up-scaling, technological configuration, grid-group theory,Northern ThailandMany small-scale rice farmers practise collective action to overcome production constraints, and to generate and redistribute benefits for maintaining improved household livelihoods. The practice is particularly important for small-scale rice farmers inNorthern Thailandwhere rice-based livelihood diversification prevails.The thesis seeks to build an understanding of farmer capacity in cooperation, as well as to identify crucial enabling factors that stimulate collective action to enhance continued learning and adaptation for sustainable development, via analysis of group attributes in relation to four sets of elements: agro-ecological conditions, socio-economic variables, cultural context and the role of government intervention. The study focuses on small-scale rice farming inNorthern Thailand, with the aim to understand the social and technical relations involved in rice based farming systems, and to illuminate scope for participatory technology development more generally.This thesis targets rice farmers because of their important contribution to the country's food security and social economic development.The research was carried out during 2003-2005 ina village with viable forms of collective action (Dong Palan, DPL) and in another village (Buak Mue, BM), included for comparative purposes, where off-farm employment affects labour use and household composition in such a way that collective action eroded or has a different orientation.Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for data collection. Semi-structured interviews of key informants, group meetings, focus group discussion, farmer workshops and participant observation were all employed.The collective action was explored under four case studies including (i) community rice seed production scheme, (ii) local innovations in rice farming (frog protection as integrated pest management practice, modification of weed slashing machine as hand-held rice harvesting equipment, and double rice transplanting technique), (iii) participatory technology development in green manure crop, and(iv) contractfarming.There are various forms of collective actions, and the forms suitable for technology development depend on social and material circumstances in the local context. The varying organizational forms of collective action reveal a hybridity of institutional modalities, which is further described, using grid-group theory, by the level of regulation of individual behaviour and the level of absorption of individuals in group memberships. The most important institutional and individual mechanisms are flexible forms of benefit sharing, recognizing and managing common interests, trust building, and finally, joint problem solving and knowledge exchange among farmers themselves and between farmers and external agencies.This thesis evidently shows that effective technology development and agro-technological innovation depend on social relationships and, more specifically, on the capacity to link to existing forms of collective action.Technology that works isa configurationresulting froma combination of agro-ecological conditions, technological artifacts and social arrangements, including collective action.The incentive for people to participate in technology development as well as the management and development of resources is a major enabling factor for sustainable collective action. In addition, collective knowledge can make an important contribution to technology development and innovation so that people with long experiential learning from trial and error in rice farming are able to integrate their own knowledge with outside knowledge in developing technology.This thesis indicates that horizontal up-scaling worked in the context of DPL which exhibits good social networking among farmers, but not in BM village.The observed variety in organizational forms and social coherence leads to an important lesson for the practice of participatory technology development, namely that attractive technologies may be incommensurable with realities in rural economies. Hence, an insight from this thesis is that constructing a fit-for-all model of collective action for small-scale and sustainable technologies may not be desirable because of the different social and material conditionalities in the field.

Indigenous foods (IF) are central to cultural heritage, sustainable diets, and food security in South Africa (SA), yet they remain underrepresented in South African Higher Education (SAHE) culinary and hospitality curriculum. This study explored second-year culinary students’ knowledge, awareness, and learning preferences regarding IF to inform curriculum reform. A quantitative descriptive survey was conducted with 128 students from a traditional university and a university of technology in Gauteng. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. Most participants were female and lived in urban areas during school term time. While the majority had consumed at least one IF in the past year, more than half demonstrated limited knowledge or misconceptions, often misclassifying foods like spinach and lentils as indigenous. Despite this, almost all students showed strong interest in learning more and supported bilingual instruction in English and native languages. Educational resources focusing on IF were underused. Very few students frequently used textbooks, case studies, or articles; learner guides and teaching notes were more common but inconsistently applied. Class discussions only partially aligned with the South African Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (SAFBDG), with crops such as sorghum, millet, cowpeas, and morogo underrepresented. The findings reveal key curriculum gaps. Strengthening IF content through bilingual, visual, and experiential learning can improve awareness, support sustainable food systems, preserve cultural heritage, and promote public health. Systematic curriculum reform is essential for decolonising SAHE and aligning hospitality education with national dietary goals

How can higher education effectively motivate young people to engage in environmental actions that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? A decade after the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, awareness of the SDGs has grown rapidly in Japan; however, translating this awareness into concrete action remains a challenge. According to a 2019 survey by the Nippon Foundation, the proportion of Japanese youth who believe they can influence society is significantly lower than in other countries, reflecting a comparatively low sense of self-efficacy. To address this issue, a Japanese university, in collaboration with a Thai partner institution, organized an intercultural study tour on food security in Thailand in 2024. The program was designed to enhance students’ self-efficacy through activities aligned with Bandura’s four sources: enactive mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and emotional arousal. Students engaged in joint learning with Thai peers and practitioners, deepening their understanding of sustainability and building cross-cultural partnerships. After returning to Japan, several students initiated environmental actions in cooperation with an organic farmer. Survey results and follow-up interviews revealed three key elements for promoting pro-environmental actions: (1) recognizing personal strengths and fostering psychologically safe learning communities, (2) engaging in experiential learning with role models from different cultural contexts, and (3) establishing post-program connections with local practitioners who share a common future vision. This study contributes to the design of intercultural Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programs in higher education by clarifying mechanisms that enhance self-efficacy and sustain youth-led actions for sustainability.

The Living Lab approach is an opportunity for diverse actors to co-create solutions to solve real-world issues. Simon Fraser University, situated on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Qayqayt, Kwantlen, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen peoples in British Columbia, Canada developed a Living Lab program to apply the university’s leading climate research expertise to solve its own infrastructure, operations and service challenges. Projects were led by “Living Lab Scholars,” graduate students who form teams with faculty and staff to co-design research to help the university meet its sustainability and equity goals. The scholars took part in experiential learning, received mentorship and financial support and were provided with the opportunity to apply their academic research skills to address four sustainability issues: (1) waste management, (2) sustainable transportation, (3) carbon footprint of streaming, and (4) food security. While being grounded in participatory action research and integrating justice, decolonisation, equity, diversity and inclusivity considerations into the process design, the limited resources, time scarcity and operational reality reflected that the reality of implementing the solutions resulted in varying degrees of transformational impact. This paper applies autoethnography to enable the participants to reflect upon how the university as a system can support advances in just sustainabilities and highlights practical lessons learned for future Living Lab practitioners who aim to mobilise their solutions on campus. Findings from the project highlight the role of the Living Lab in supporting “transformative incrementalism” and challenging the conventions of academic knowledge production.