Global Food Security and Sustainability through Agricultural Education and Training

Abstract

Global food security and outreach training are the topics of this proposed paper. While current data showing the relationship between poverty and food insecurity is alarming, the implementation of AET (agricultural education and training) is a goal that affected countries can address for a brighter future. The presentation will illustrate how successful graduates of AET systems (agricultural education and training) find answers to sustainable food production problems in their home country, how they implemented solutions, and how they provides services and opportunities to rural people. It will use examples of how the involvement of the private sector and introduction of local entrepreneurship in the food chain can be accomplished through training of community members—to achieve food security. Food security depends on a range of conditions, such as overcoming post-harvest losses, sustainability through byproduct utilization for edible food, and use of biomass for bio-energy. In this light, higher educational institutions—particularly Extension Services of a land grant university--hold the keys for capacity building in international situations. By collaborating on projects that enable developing countries to build outreach capabilities, Extension trainers move new data and innovation from the laboratory to the production process. To strengthen skills needed in the food supply chain, Extension experts transfer research and knowledge to local communities, with the aim to improve the structure of agriculture production. Outreach training in the international context also offers unique curricular challenges and opportunities of infusing AET with breakthrough technologies