Curriculum for new farmers
As I contemplate a team analysis of the legal and institutional environment for agribusiness in Tanzania (I leave tomorrow night), I have enjoyed getting to know the website of the NC State agricultural extension services. I am especially intrigued by their 8-part “farm enterprise incubator,” which is broken down into the following components:
Whole Farm Planning
Plants, Soils, Irrigation, & Equipment
Planting, Harvesting, & Crop Rotations
Marketing Opportunities & Challenges
Insects & Diseases
Weeds, Mulches, and Season Extension
Enterprise Development, Record keeping, Taxes, and Resources
Integrating Livestock into your Farm
A couple hours a week for 8 weeks. The course can hardly make anyone an expert (see my friend’s diatribes about how long it takes to get really good at/knowledgable about something), but it provides a meaningful context for the challenges ahead of anyone who wants to launch a farm-related enterprise. Neat!