A roadmap towards action education - The Nextfood approach

In an age of accelerating change, where society seeks to develop pathways towards a more sustainable future, there is increasing recognition of the need for an educational response. Future change agents must be equipped with the competences needed to deal with the complex challenges of sustainability. Education plays a key role in addressing the threats from climate change and in supporting a transition to more sustainable production and consumption of food and other bio-based products.The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, launched by the United Nations in 2005, aimed “to integrate the values inherent in sustainable development into all aspects of learning to encourage changes in behaviour that allow for a more sustainable and just society for all” (UNESCO 2005). Through education for sustainable development, students must become better equipped to link societal and economic activitiesto environmental issues and be better prepared for dealing with societal challenges.In a recent declaration, the European Education Arena 2025, EU-leaders prioritised the need to build on inclusive and high-quality education as a part of the Green Deal Strategy (European Union 2020). An education characterised by transdisciplinary, learnercentered and action-oriented approaches is mentioned as an important means to foster transversal skills. These skills are not confined to a specific task within adiscipline or dependent on a narrow field of knowledge. Critical thinking, creativity, entrepreneurship and civic engagement are among the capabilities most needed in our rapidly evolving society and work life.The NextFOOD consortium was established in 2018. Its members consist of university students, academics, field professionals, farmers and other stakeholders in society. The primary consortium activities are case studies of action-oriented education, sharing of experiences and research. In 2022, the NextFOOD roadmap (Fig. 1) towards a vision of action education was developed from reviewing the outcomes of 12 educational case studies and of several workshops organised by the consortium. The workshopparticipants identified factors that have been critical for them to transform traditional educational approaches to more action-oriented learning. They discussed the challenges they have faced and the strategies they have applied to overcome them. Based on these discussions, we were able to identify which steps seemed critical for success. The purpose of the resulting roadmap is to support the transformation of educational systems in the agrifood, forestry and similar sectors towards the action-orientation that is needed to build sustainability competences among the students (learners). It is to be used by course leaders, educational managers and teaching practitioners at the high school, vocational and university levels who want to drive such a change in educationThe roadmap depicts various signposts, each representing a step towards creating the foundation for educating the next generation of professionals in agri-food and similar systems. The roadmap was presented at the final consortium meeting of NextFOOD in April 2022 and the participants gave their feedback to the final version. As a user of the roadmap, you may likely experience detours and unexpected obstacles as you proceed with the change process. The roadmap is intended as a visual metaphor. It will help you to create ownership and spur creativity, if you adjust the sequence of the steps to your own situation.The usefulness of the roadmap can be enhanced through accessing the NextFOOD Research Protocol (Lenaerts, L., et al. 2019), the NextFOOD Master Manual (Lenaerts, L., et al. 2022) and the NextFOOD Toolbox (Nicolaysen, A.M. et al. 2020). The manual and the toolbox provide different tools (“how-to instructions”) as well as theoretical inputs. The NextFOOD document on “Educational Approaches (Lieblein, G. et al. 2019) provide a further conceptual base for the NextFOOD approach to action education

Transformative education in agroecology: student, teacher, and client involvement in colearning

Educational methods have evolved rapidly in agroecology, which is a complex and holistic field without a long history or the formal tradition of any single academic discipline. Definitions of agroecology have evolved from its initial conception as a marriage of agriculture with ecology, to an aggregation of different paths including science, practices, and movements, and recently as a broad appreciation of the ecology of food systems. In contrast with traditional courses that begin with a history of the discipline and review the contributions of early leaders, we have embraced phenomenology to firmly establish roots in students’ learning through their experiences interacting with farmers and practitioners in food systems. We have pursued close collaborations among students, teachers, farmers, processors, retailers, consumers, and government officials to build ownership of the learning process in a transdisciplinary education model. Working together in the learning landscape, we have codeveloped visions of sustainable systems for the future. As a team, we are searching for meaning and applications to help advance substantial changes in the production and consumption of food and more importantly, a transformation in thinking about educational alternatives. Our learning program’s focus is catalyzing the student journey by developing five competencies: observation, dialogue, participation, reflection, and visioning. Implementing the program requires fundamental changes towards colearning involving students, instructors, and stakeholders, plus modifications in the institutional environment. With well-focused skills and practice, our graduates are prepared to deal with a complex and unpredictable future, where many of the questions and challenges are yet to be discovered. By involving students and others in design, this becomes a process of empowering each participant to take responsibility for their education and preparing them for lifelong learning with the motivation to be an active and responsible agent of change

DEVELOPING ORGANIC FARMING IN NORWAY THROUGH SYSTEMIC ACTION RESEARCH

A systemic action research approach to gain insight into the present situation of the agroecosystem, to envision scenarios, and to accomplish workable outcomes is performed. This process is to be accomplished in a participatory way that empowers stakeholders to continue the learning process and system development in an ecologically friendly, socio-culturally feasible and economically viable way

EVALUATION OF STUDENT REFLECTIVE DOCUMENTS IN AGROECOLOGY EDUCATION: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF EXPERIENTAL LEARNING

This paper describes an evaluation of experiential learning in agroecology, based on analysis of learning outcomes as described by students in their individual Learner (Reflection) Documents. Galt et al. (2013) highlighted the importance of reflective essays in reinforcing experiential learning. Each fall semester since 2000, students in an agroecology course in farming and food systems at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) have submitted a self-evaluation of their learning as well as the teaching process. Their Learner Document is based on a log the students write about their experiences in the field, including interactions with stakeholders on farms and in communities, and lectures and discussion sessions with students and facilitators in and out of the classroom. Together with practical aspects described in the log is an in-depth reflection by each student on the learning process. While the students work in teams of four to six people to produce a Client (Stakeholder) Document, in cooperation with their stakeholders in the farming and food system, the Learner Document is written individually and reflects their personal learning experience

Educational innovations in agroecology: Learning-centred open-ended cases

Open-ended cases present students with learning situations where a particular dilemma on the farm or in the community food system has not been resolved. With minimal but focused prior preparations, students interview farmers and food system stakeholders to build context for the case and to discover the philosophy, goals, and major challenges faced by clients. Student teams build a rich picture of the current reality, including major elements, interactions, and driving forces both internal and external. Instead of reaching prescriptive recommendations, students develop multiple potential future scenarios that could be used by stakeholders to resolve the situation, and evaluate a priori the most likely outcomes of following each scenario. These are presented back to the farmer or community, and a visioning session is held to bring all the players to the table and decide on the most constructive future course of action. We have found this method to be highly stimulating to students, as they work in a team with instructors and clients to plan a desirable future. Students report that the learning experience has been valuable to their subsequent thesis research as well as contributing to their effectiveness on jobs after the university.Keywords: agroecology, systems learning, action learning, education for responsible action, organic farming system

Cultivating multi-cultural teams: lessons learned in the "milpa" of an Agroecology MSc course

Traditional milpa polycultures of maize-bean-squash consistently have higher yields and are more resilient to stresses than monocultures. This synergistic outcome builds on species differences in physiology and morphology. In our agroecology program, the faculty work as milperos, intentionally developing multi-cultural teams that are capable of building upon their differences

Soil and Pest Management in French Polynesian Farming Systems and Drivers and Barriers for Implementation of Practices Based on Agroecological Principles

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Aprendizaje de la agroecología basado en los fenómenos: Un prerrequisito para la transdisciplinariedad y la acción responsable

Phenomenon-based learning in agroecology provides a rationale and platform for bridging academia and society. Learning based on reflective experiences on farms and in communities has provided the foundation and the core of an agroecology course in Norway since 2000. Student teams work with university teachers and stakeholders in ‘open-ended cases’ to identify key constraints and future possibilities. This learning strategy uses real-world situations on the farm and in the community where solutions are not already known to instructor or clients. Employing natural science and social science methods, the teams examine and evaluate production, economic, environmental, and social dimensions, as integrated into whole systems. The students then design and evaluate future scenarios and work out plans of action. The result has been a strong foundation for responsible action in students’ future endeavors in education and development.El aprendizaje de la agroecología basado en los fenómenos proporciona una lógica y una plataforma para crear puentes entre la academia y la sociedad. El aprendizaje basado en experiencias reflexivas en granjas y en comunidades ha proporcionado el fundamento y el núcleo de un curso de agroecología en Noruega desde el año 2000 en la Universidad Noruega de las Ciencias de la Vida (NMBU). Los equipos de estudiantes trabajan con profesores de la Universidad y con las personas interesadas utilizando “casos abiertos” con el fin de identificar las principales limitaciones y las posibilidades futuras. Esta estrategia de aprendizaje utiliza situaciones del mundo real en la granja y en la comunidad, donde ni el instructor ni los clientes conocen de entrada las soluciones. Utilizando métodos de las ciencias sociales y de las ciencias naturales, los equipos examinan y evalúan las dimensiones productivas, económicas, ambientales y sociales, integradas en sistemas completos. Después, los estudiantes diseñan y evalúan escenarios futuros y piensan planes de acción. El resultado ha sido una base sólida para la acción responsable en los proyectos futuros de los estudiantes en los campos de la educación y el desarrollo

BRIDGING FIELD EXPERIENCE AND ACADEMIA: AN INTERNATIONAL AGROECOLOGY DOCTORAL PROGRAMME

Students interested in achieving advanced education in agriculture and food systems using holistic, integrated approaches can find MSc programmes in Agroecology that meet such demand at universities such as UMB in Norway and ISARA in France. Many students now seek opportunities to pursue a PhD degree using a systems approach across disciplines. Interdisciplinary research in Agroecology is embraced by a dispersed group of researchers around the world, and few universities have their own capacity to offer adequate PhD courses and supervision for such interdisciplinary PhD training. To design a new programme, we have established an international network of Agroecology researchers, advisors, and instructors from several universities in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. They were recruited to organize a post-graduate study programme in Agroecology that will provide courses and dissertation opportunities. Using a combination of distance and blended courses, regional workshops, and electronic networking, an international faculty will offer high-level education and research supervision to help talented candidates in national research programmes, universities, aid and non-profit agencies, and private industry achieve a doctoral degree

Sustainable nutrient supply of organic farming challenged by specialisation

Diverse production on each farm, with livestock density well balanced with crop production, has been the traditional way to maintain the soil fertility in organic farming systems. However, there is a trend of specialisation into stockless arable or livestock farms. Stockless farming is challenged by depletion of soil mineral reserves and soil organic matter, risk of large nutrient losses after green manuring, and dependence on nutrient supply from external sources. In this paper, we focus on these challenges to sustained soil fertility