Building Rural Communities through School–based Agriculture Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a substantive theory for community development by schoolbased agriculture programs through grounded theory methodology. Data for the study included in-depth interviews and field observations from three school-based agriculture programs in three nonmetropolitan counties across a Midwestern state. The substantive theory that emerged was that schoolbased agriculture programs can have a positive impact on the social connections among a small group of community members and students. Social connections among community members and students were reinvested back into the program in the form of fundraising and student interaction. The reinvestment of resources helps individual students in the agriculture program, especially students who are destined to leave the community for higher education.

“Ask Them” Again: An Inquiry-based Approach to Incorporating Children’s Participation Rights in a Rural, Agriculture-focused Canadian Elementary School

“…Importantly, these findings show that children and youth are capable of identifying significant issues that are relevant to them, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their community, and contributing to meaningful changes. Further, results from a study focused on school-based agriculture programs suggest that these programs can positively impact social connections between students and community members, with other positive outcomes including increased interest and engagement in fundraising to support the programs (Martin & Henry, 2012).…”

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“…A final recommendation is to incorporate the use of capstone projects, internships, or other student-led projects that connect course content to real-world situations in the agricultural industry. Engaging in practical learning opportunities would increase the social capital of the universities, leading to improved socioeconomic conditions and revitalizing rural farming communities in Guinea and other regions in SSA (Havik et al, 2018;Martin & Henry, 2012).…”

Potential Mentoring Impacts on Oklahoma Induction-Year School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers: A Modified Delphi Study

“…An estimated 48,000 students did not have access to a highly qualified local agricultural educator in the 2016-2017 school year (NAAE, 2018). Local communities (Martin & Henry, 2012) and the larger agricultural sector (Goecker et al, 2015) are impacted when these students have little to no exposure to potential careers in agriculture, often the largest employing industry in rural communities (Huffman & Orazem, 2007). SBAE programs have been shown to invest in local communities by providing opportunities for students to practice interpersonal skills while working with community leaders (Martin & Henry, 2012).…”

“…Local communities (Martin & Henry, 2012) and the larger agricultural sector (Goecker et al, 2015) are impacted when these students have little to no exposure to potential careers in agriculture, often the largest employing industry in rural communities (Huffman & Orazem, 2007). SBAE programs have been shown to invest in local communities by providing opportunities for students to practice interpersonal skills while working with community leaders (Martin & Henry, 2012). In the 2018-2019 school year, approximately 30,000 Oklahoma SBAE student Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects generated a $63 million economic impact in state economy and included over 300,000 hours in community service activities (K. Murray, personal communication, January 17, 2020).…”