Green Horizons

Agroforestry Academy a success

The inaugural Agroforestry Academy attracted 26 enthusiastic educators from a seven state region. These trainees came to Columbia, Mo. in August for a week of indepth exposure to agroforestry. Post- Academy evaluations showed that 71 percent of the trainees found the Academy excellent.

In the long-term, the goal is to realize widespread adoption of agroforestry in the U.S., and its objective is to create a regional "agroforestry knowledge network." To create this, we need to train a core group of individuals who deal with land management issues and/or interact with farmers and landowners. We need to facilitate collaboration among researchers, extension personnel and practitioners from diverse disciplines, departments and colleges, and with different agencies and organizations.

Trainers were there to provide detailed agroforestry expertise. The first two days of the Academy included a wide array of classroom presentations on both the biophysical and socioeconomic aspects of agroforestry practices. In addition, information intended to assist landowners develop financial budgets and to market specialty crops was presented.

Days three and four consisted of visits to practitioners' farms with established agroforestry sites (Shepherd Farms, Eridu Farms, Busby Farm - Lincoln University, Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center - MU) along with a "hands-on case study," a farm visit with a landowner whose farm does not currently incorporate agroforestry practices.

The academy concluded on day five with an agroforestry planning and design "case study" exercise which summed up all the knowledge and experience received during the week. The case study design exercise (with small group presentations and followup discussions) facilitated experience in the implementation of agroforestry design and encouraged collaborative learning community efforts. The planning process helped participants envision how agroforestry practices can be successfully integrated on a farm.

The 2013 Training Manual and Handbook are available online at http://bit.ly/1e1Wf4J for your use, too. More information about the Academy can be found in the August issue of the Action in Agroforestry newsletter on UMCA's website.