Literate Practice of a Farmer-.com

Question: Discuss about the Literate Practice of a Farmer. Answer: Agricultural literacy is a phenomenon that can be cultivated in any person at any age with normal experience. Therefore, the Canadian government has understood the major role of agriculture in the daily lives of their people. Therefore, they have started working towards the goal by educating the farmers to reach the goal by being a credible source for the agricultural literacy information (Cohen, Alice and Karen). Agriculture is an important aspect of Canada. Across this country, there is not a single person who has not thought about in their daily routine. Therefore, for the population of Canada food is an integral part (Cohen, Alice and Karen). The future challenge for Agriculture is to find ways to meet the demand that the future growth in population brings, and it is the role of government to be planning to be ready for this well-documented prediction. In the recent years, it has also been observed that the economy of the agriculture of Canada has been declining. The importance of this sector is high for the people of the country but majority of the farmers are unable to use latest techniques and technologies for the cultivation of the food crops (Bryant et al.). Therefore, the essay enumerates the various techniques that are needed for growing the rate of literacy within the farmers. Education might be a big luxury for some families; however, many farmers are unable to get educated due to financial problems. In recent years, government has taken initiatives to literate farmers apart from reading and writing. It is not only passing verbal information from one generation to another(Bryant et al.). With the evolving technology generation, farmers have to keep themselves updated with the agricultural technology. They also need to know about the pressing concerns of unpredictable monsoons, irrigation levels and climate change where traditional knowledge is not enough to prevent crops from failing. They have started opening farmer schools that are helping them to understand the underlying literacy behind farming and agriculture (Dhaka and Chayal). A farmer needs to know that apart from planting dates, harvesting and breeding cycles, he should have a good knowledge of mechanics that is important to keep the machines in proper working conditions and in optimal order. A healthy livestock is also important and a farmer needs to know about the bloodlines and possible crosses that are required to give the best breeding results. A farmer should have understanding and knowledge about the food and fibre system. This would help for the synthesis, analysis and communication about the basic agricultural information that includes important relationship between environment and natural resources, economic impact and production of agricultural resources, marketing and processing of the agricultural products, global significance and its distribution (Kovar, Kristin and Anna Ball). Apart from reading and writing, farmers need to be knowledgeable and gain literacy that entails use of technologically and scientific concepts for using the agricultural technology. This would help farmers to understand and respond to the problems that arise in raising crops, agricultural practices and incorporate agricultural literacy in their farming practices. A farmer should have a basic understanding of the internal science that plays an important role in providing crops which are of the best quality. However, enough education about the genetic backgrounds and genetic hybridization to produce products of extremely high quality always does not bring the best results. All the science behind agriculture only became beneficial when the farmer has a hand on knowledge about the farming procedures. A farmer knowing that a type A when hybridized by type B will give type C but the entire process of growing the crop successfully is important than making several calculations and ultimately failing to make it survive. Often sitting inside a classroom and going through book, providing knowledge on the different processes of agriculture will give only a vast idea. However, such an individual will never be able to conduct the work successfully if he does not take up the instruments in his hand and have a toilsome day at field (Cook-Grumpez). His presen ce in the field will be more beneficial as he will learn from his experiences and will ultimately be able to understand how he should proceed the next day. Therefore, a farmers literacy can never be restricted to books (Dyg, Pernille, and Bent Egberg Mikkelsen). His main literacy would be his own presence in his field among the instruments and the crops where he would regain the main spirit of being a farmer and conduct his job successfully by the skills that he develops over the years of experience. Farmers commonly face the problem of nutritional literacy. Rural farmers do not perceive the health issues caused by the malnutrition. In additional to the knowledge on the Agriculture, the farmers must be literate about the nutritional aspects of different food. Agricultural literacy should not be restricted to knowing about the different types of farming techniques or the scientific or technology based concepts. The farmers should also be literate enough to address the health issues occurring due to poor nutrition (Pitts et al.). Thus, I would like to suggest that the target audience should be educated about good nutrition. They must be educated about the importance of the good nutrition. Having balanced diet or nutrition rich diet prevents lifestyle diseases like obesity or diabetes. In short the nutritional literacy of farmers extends beyond the reading, listening, speaking and the wilting skills. Nutritional knowledge is required by farmers to acquire skills to understand and implement the complex information about food and their different nutrient values. Only if the farmers understand the value of different types of food items, can engage in making informed decisions about diet. It will help change the health belief of the individual. Thus, effective training is required so that the farmers can effectively and efficiently use the limited resources (Walton et al.). This solution will make difference including the primary activities. Malnutrition is just not the problem of food. Instead, it is the major contributor of hunger in many countries. Thus, nutritional improvement objectives should be focused on through development of the policies and the projects (Hassen et al.) References Bryant, Christopher R., et al. "The roles of governments and other actors in adaptation to climate change and variability: The examples of agriculture and coastal communities."AIMS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE3.3 (2016): 326-346. Cohen, Alice, and Karen Bakker. "The eco-scalar fix: Rescaling environmental governance and the politics of ecological boundaries in Alberta, Canada."Environment and Planning D: Society and Space32.1 (2014): 128-146. Cook-Gumperz, Jenny. "The Transition to Literacy."Writing: The nature, development, and teaching of written communication(2013): 89. Dhaka, B. L., and K. Chayal. "Farmers experience with ICTs on transfer of technology in changing agri-rural environment."Indian Research Journal of Extension Education10.3 (2016): 114-118. Dyg, Pernille, and Bent Egberg Mikkelsen. "Cooperation Models, Motivation and Objectives behind Farm--School Collaboration: Case Insights from Denmark."International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture Food23.1 (2016). Hassen, K., Gizaw, G., Belachew, T. (2017). Dual Burden of Malnutrition Among Adolescents of Smallholder Coffee Farming Households of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.Food and Nutrition Bulletin,38(2), 196-208. Kovar, Kristin A., and Anna L. Ball. "Two Decades of Agricultural Literacy Research: A Synthesis of the Literature."Journal of Agricultural Education54.1 (2013): 167-178. Pitts, Stephanie B. Jilcott, et al. "Farmers market shopping and dietary behaviours among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants."Public health nutrition18.13 (2015): 2407-2414. Walton, C., et al. "Effect of nutrition education and dairy group membership on nutrition knowledge, practices and diet quality for rural Kenyan farm women."African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development17.3 (2017): 12343-12361.