Designing sustainable agriculture education: Academics’ suggestions for an undergraduate curriculum at a land grant university

Historically, land grant universities and their colleges of agriculture have been discipline driven in both their curricula and research agendas. Critics call for interdisciplinary approaches to undergraduate curriculum. Concomitantly, sustainable agriculture (SA) education is beginning to emerge as a way to address many complex social and environmental problems. University of California at Davis faculty, staff, and students are developing an undergraduate SA major. To inform this process, a web-based Delphi survey of academics working in fields related to SA was conducted. Faculty from colleges and universities across the US were surveyed. Participants suggested that students needed knowledge of natural and social science disciplines relating to the agri-food system. In addition, stakeholders suggested students learn through experiences that link the classroom to field work, engaging a broad range of actors within applied settings. Stakeholders also emphasized the need for interdisciplinary and applied scholarship. Additionally, they proposed a range of teaching and learning approaches, including many practical experiences. Given the diverse suggestions of content knowledge and means of producing knowledge, the survey presented unique challenges and called into question the epistemological and pedagogical norms currently found in land grant colleges of agriculture. This study has implications for land grant universities seeking to develop undergraduate curriculum appropriate to the field of SA. Damian M. Parr is a doctoral student of Agricultural and Environmental Education, in the School of Education at the University of California at Davis. His professional interests include organic farming, sustainable agriculture, experiential and transformational learning, critical pedagogy, and participatory action research. He is currently working on linking on-campus student initiated sustainable farm and food systems projects to curricula at land grant universities Cary J. Trexler is an assistant professor of Agricultural and Environmental Education at the University of California at Davis where he teaches courses in the history of agricultural education, experiential learning, and research methods for practicing teachers. His research focuses on experiential learning, sustainable agriculture education, and needs of teachers and informal educators within the context of the agri-food system Navina R. Khanna is a graduate student pursuing an MS in International Agricultural Development at the University of California at Davis. She is committed to facilitating community dialogue and education about sustainability issues. Her work at the university focuses on the process and goal of sustainability in agricultural education and campus food system sustainability. Her primary professional interests include democratic participatory process in agri-food system sustainability and urban revitalization Bryce T. Battisti is a doctoral student of Agricultural and Environmental Education, in the School of Education at the University of California at Davis. His research interests include the development of alternative models for university education that are founded on student-centered experiential learning. Specifically, he studies models of permaculture education that lead toward accredited degrees and relates these models to sustainable agriculture degree programs     

3S技术在农业清洁生产中的应用前景分析

农业清洁生产是解决农业非点源污染的有效手段,能够提高农田质量和安全,保证农业的可持续发展,但农业清洁生产因可利用的手段和技术的缺乏而受到阻碍。GIS、RS、GPS技术在农业上的应用逐渐增多,对合理评价农业资源,减少农业物资投入量,防治农业病虫害以及改善农产品质量具有显著作用。从产地环境选择、清洁生产过程以及产品清洁产出3个方面中3S技术的应用进行讨论,旨在为农业清洁生产提供更多的实用性手段,同时提出了适合我国农业清洁生产的3S利用模式。     

日本熊本县的土壤与农业

熊本县是广西的海外姐妹城市,也是日本少数几个以农业为主要产业的县份之一。文章综述了熊本县的自然概况、主要土壤类型及耕地利用现状,分析了该县近年来主要农作物产量及栽培面积的变化情况;指出熊本县农业优势地位的确立,很大程度上得益于环保型农业生产体系的构建及先进实用农业新技术的研发与推广;提出现阶段广西应学习借鉴熊本县先进的环保型、省力化生产技术、品牌意识及农产品贮藏加工技术,以提高农业生产技术与管理水平,实现广西农业可持续发展。     

Toward sustainable intensification of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

Across the African continent efforts to intensify agriculture have been limited to specific commodities, locations or particular production schemes. The causes for the widespread failure to overcome low land and labor productivity while maintaining ecosystem services have often be analyzed but remain poorly understood. A social-ecological system approach may help to better understand the complex nature of ecological disadvantages, postcolonial structures, limited connect between producers and consumer markets, low off-farm livelihood opportunities, partial underpopulation and lacking experience with the concept of sustainable production as a major impediment for sustainable intensification of the agricultural sector. Nevertheless, recent success stories in agro-pastoral systems as well as urban vegetable and animal production and associated value chains in West Africa, and in intensive mixed-cropping systems of the Great Lakes Region show the potential of stakeholder-driven agricultural intensification. Proper interpretation of these cases may provide lessons for a more widespread eco-intensification of smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa.     

发展有机农业 增强农业竞争优势

有机农业是指一种在农业生产中完全不使用化学合成的物质,也不使用基因工程生物及其产物的生产体系。发展有机农业是改善环境质量、增加农民收入、促进农业可持续发展的必由之路。目前发展有机农业存在着政府支持不够、缺乏有机农业技术和知识、没有形成产业化及有机产品认证难以及销售难等问题。转变观念,加大政府支持、科学制定发展规划、建立生产体系和认证制度及建立、培育和完善中介服务组织等是发展有机农业的对策。     

持续农业浅述

综述自60年代“绿色革命”以来,欧美农业生产采取了一系列新技术措施,首先是大量消耗不可再生的能源,其次是大量使用化肥和农药,在农业产量上固然有大幅度的提高,但在此同时,也带来了一系列其它问题,从长远的、持久的利益出发,国内外农业界知名人士考虑能不能从加深对农业生态系统本身内在复杂关系的认识,并加强对农业生产的管理,寻求一种既经济而又符合环境要求的稳定、经久不衰的农业生态体系,以取代现代农业中那种高投入、高成本的农业生产体系。     

黄土高原农业生产自然环境和投资状况评析及对策

从自然和投资方面评析了黄土高原农业生产与我国其他地区的差异 ,得出以下结论 :(1)黄土高原脆弱的自然生态环境是其农业发展最主要的自然限制因素 ,其农业投资应立足于这一基本前提。 (2 )黄土高原的农业投资滞后于农业发展的需求 ,农业无效投资有增无减 ,农业投资份额下降 ,制约了农业产值的增长。对此 ,必须提高农业投资增长率 ,发挥国家投资的主体职能。 (3)不合理的土地利用是导致生态环境严重破坏的更为直接的原因。对此 ,落实退耕还林种草 ,合理调整农业结构 ,建立与地面坡度相适应的土地利用结构并辅之以与目标相符的投入 ,是进一步提高农业生产水平的关键     

循环经济视角下的都市农业发展——中新天津生态城模式分析

从循环经济的视角,阐述了循环经济和循环农业的内涵与发展。以可复制的中新天津生态城模式为例,分析了中新天津生态城建设的背景、意义和特点,指出了其＂三和三能＂的可持续发展定位,从节水、节地、节能3个方面分析了其对天津都市农业发展的启示。在循环经济理论指导下,加强农业资源的节约化利用和农业废弃物的资源化利用对改进城市环境有积极影响：将有机固体废物和污水循环系统分散化;进一步研究生态农业增产、增收的生理生化机制,将都市农业纳入城市土地利用规划和城市发展规划之中。     

喀斯特石漠化生态治理区现代农业关键问题探讨

农业是导致喀斯特山区石漠化等问题的根源、也是解决石漠化等问题的出路。强化石漠化山区现代农 业理论建设、为国家在石漠化山区实施一系列生态、农业、水利等工程提供参考具有重要意义。以国内外相关文献为 支撑、通过对喀斯特石漠化山区现代农业生产环境、成功的经验技术模式、存在问题等内容的论述、指出;（1）石漠化 山区虽然生态环境脆弱、人口与贫困问题突出、但也有自身的优势、发展现代农业不仅成为可能、而且已取得许多成 功的示范、有较大潜力可待挖掘;(2)石漠化山区现代农业应注重生态、经济、民生三者的统一、多种属、多门类相结 合、调结构与提效益相结合;(3)石漠化山区现代农业发展已形成生物、农业、工程、信息等技术为主导的技术体系、取 得了土地资源综合开发利用、种植结构调整、工程措施优化等成功的模式、还形成了生态农业、低碳农业、设施农业、 可持续农业等为主流的农业类型;(4)石漠化山区现代农业研究虽然取得一定成果、但也存在一些研究相对薄弱的地 方、如规模种养与产业化发展、极端气候抵御、土地功能评价、生物多样性保护、岩溶碳汇与生态景观格局评价等问 题、值得补充和完善。     

“三品一标”背景下农业标准化生产分析

"三品一标"是当代农产品的重要健康标识,大力推广"三品一标"有助于我国农业产品的健康发展,也有助于我国农业向着标准化、完善化、有机化、信息化、持久化方向发展。就以"三品一标"对我国农业发展的规范性作用文论点,着重论述了"三品一标"对我国农业生产标准化生产的推进作用。     

Conventionalization of the organic sesame network from Burkina Faso: shrinking into mainstream

This research examines the structure and development of the organic sesame network from Burkina Faso to explain the declining trend in organic sesame export. The paper addresses particularly the question whether the organic sesame network is structurally (re)shaped as a conventional mainstream market or whether it still presents a real alternative to conventional sesame production and trade. It is found that over the last decade organic sesame is increasingly incorporated into mainstream market channels. But contrary to the well-known case of conventionalization in California, where organic agriculture grew into mainstream agro-food arrangements, this study illustrates a case where organic sesame agriculture shrank into mainstream agro-food arrangements. The weak coherence between the production and marketing nodes in the organic sesame chain resulted in failures to vertically mediate information, balance power relationships in and across sesame chains, build trust, and limit price volatility and speculation, resulting in a shrinking organic sesame market. For developing a viable alternative to conventional sesame trading, relations between production and trading nodes in the organic networks need to be strengthened through public–private partnerships, combined with other public and legal reinforcement.     

新疆农业生产持续性分析

４０多年来，新疆农业呈现出曲线上升性的波动增长。文章运用大量数据分析了新疆农业增长的６个阶段及其特征。在此基础上，提出了农业生产持续性的三个标志即种植业生产的持续性、农产品产量的持续增加和土地生产率的提高。     

盐渍土区耕地质量指标及其在持续土地利用管理评价中的应用

选择华北平原盐渍土区作为研究对象，通过调查分析建立了该区耕地质量指标，它们是土壤水溶盐含量、有机质含量、土壤重金属容量空间、地下水资源的量与质；应用这些评价指标对典型样区的土地利用管理进行了可持续性评价。结果是：近20年来，耕地质量和生产力明显提高；排水与灌溉系统的建设使农田的抗旱防涝能力大大增加，农业生产的稳定性得到提高；土壤重金属虽有增加，但还未超过限制性标准；地下水 位不断降低，水资源逐渐耗竭。虽然在短期内还不是制约因素，但从长远看，地下水资源将是可持续发展的最大隐患。总体上看，土地利用在一定时段内是可持续的。     

生物健康农业新理论和新体系构建

在分析生态农业、有机农业、绿色农业等现代农业生产方式利弊的基础上,我们提出全新的生物健康农业(Biology Healthy Agriculture),是指运用先进的生物技术和生产工艺栽培各种农作物或养殖农业动物,实现大健康理念、生物技术与农业的和谐“联姻”,并融入乡村旅游与休闲农业,生产安全健康终端农产品的一种现代农业生产方式。系统论述了生物健康农业新理论和产业化发展的理论要点,从发展遵循的原则与功能定位、区域产业体系和支撑技术体系与发展目标等方面阐述了生物健康农业产业体系的构建,以及我国发展生物健康农业的必要性、优势以及意义,以期为提高农产品质量安全和营养品质以及市场竞争力、促进现代农业可持续发展、提高居民健康水平和精神需求提供依据,从而通过生物技术和大健康产业的融合,实现传统农业的跨越式发展,打造现代农业的升级版。     

土地质量指标在可持续土地利用管理评价中的应用研究

本文双联合国土地质量指标计划推荐的核心为指导，对河北省曲周的土地利用管理活动进行了可持续评价。评价结果表明：曲周的盐渍化治理取得了很大成绩，土壤肥力增加，土地质量总体上得到提高，农业生产稳定增长；同时，土壤污染问题开始显现，生物多样性受到威胁，这些问题现在虽然对土地利用的可持续性还没有形成致命影响，但如何继续发展下去，肯定对农业土地利用系统的可持续性构成威胁。     

我国农业资源可持续利用的问题及对策研究

农业资源可持续利用是农业经济可持续发展的基础。我国农业资源可持续利用面临着自然资源贫乏、农业生态环境恶化等一系列问题。针对问题提出了合理利用和保护耕地资源、大力发展生态农业、建立农业资源核算体系等相应对策。     

贵州农业面源污染防治及可持续发展对策

针对农业污染面积不断扩展、程度日益加重的严峻局势，就严重影响农业生产和可持续发展的几种污染源，提出了相应的综合防治措施。围绕着农业可持续发展的限制因素，探讨了贵州农业可持续发展的对策措施。     

资源节约型和环境友好型农业生产体系的基本内涵与特征研究

建立资源节约型和环境友好型农业是我国农业加快转变生产方式,实现农业可持续发展的需要。本文分析了发展"两型农业"根源,通过与传统农业比较研究,系统分析了"两型农业"的科学内涵、本质特征和发展模式。认为"两型农业"就是以转变农业生产方式为根本目的,以发展优质、高产、高效、生态、安全的现代农业为主要目标,以提高资源利用效率和保护生态环境为重点内容,依靠技术创新和政策创新为支撑动力,大力发展循环农业、生态农业、集约农业的循环经济农业形态,促进农业实现可持续发展的现代农业综合生产体系。     

加强耕地质量建设实现粮食稳产增产

以有利于推进嫩江县农业生产节本增效,有利于促进耕地质量建设,发展可持续农业,促进粮食穗产高产,增加农民收入为目标,于2009年结合农业部实施的测土配方施肥项目对嫩江县耕地地力进行调查与评价,主要表现为:有机质含量下降,氮、钾等养分也相应减少,土壤肥力逐年减退;土壤水蚀、风蚀严重.人们在生产经营中注重用地,不注重养地,用...     

耕地细碎化的影响效应及对策研究进展

运用文献资料法和对比分析法,全面综述国内外关于耕地细碎化的影响效应及对策的研究文献,结果表明：耕地细碎化对农业的种植结构、粮食产出、生产技术效率、劳动力、土地利用格局及土地市场等方面产生影响,但整体上看,其负面效应突出。为应对耕地细碎化问题,不同地区从农村市场化、土地综合整治及法律制度保障3 个主要层面制定相应对策。在坚持农田生态稳定和民众广泛参与的前提下,耕地细碎化问题的解决对于农业的可持续发展及农民生活的改善具有重要意义。