Teaching Sustainable Agriculture to Youth

As you probably know, VOICE Trust has trained thousands of farmers in sustainable organic farming practices over the last ten years.  Although we are not currently able to conduct more training sessions due to COVID restrictions, we thought you might enjoy hearing how one of the farmers we trained several years ago is doing.

Thangavel has practiced organic farming for the past four years and has taken advantage of several of Voice Trust's educational initiatives, most recently a class on Integrated Pest Management.  BecauseThangavel uses strategically chosen natural cultivation methods to protect his crops against the risks of extreme weather and to help ensure the long-term productivity of his land, his agribusiness has been thriving..

To avoid the soil-depleting effects of monocropping, Thangavel seeds his family’s 1.5-acre plot with high-yield rice and native urad beans in alternating years.  This year, the crop of choice was ADT-36, a rice varietal that is resistant to common pests, drought, and high temperatures. Thangavel tends his crops using low-cost, organic fertilizing and pest control techniques, protecting the environment and maximizing his yield.  He reports that neighboring farmers have been impressed by the success of his harvests, and have asked him to share his secrets.

Thus the effect of our training keeps expanding: year after year, from one small farm to the next, children are nourished with healthier food, the land and water are protected from harsh industrial farming techniques, and farmers like Thangavel earn sustainable incomes to support their families.  

All of this positive change is a direct result of your generous support.  Thank you, sincerely, for making these impacts possible.  As Thangavel’s story shows, the lessons and supplies you have enabled Voice Trust to deliver are taking hold, seeding sustainable success and resilience.  

Together, we can make a difference!

Gratefully, 

Janet Preethi

Agricultural Education is so important for our world. Agricultural Education involves more than just teaching students the basics of seed production or how to judge livestock. It provides the opportunity for people to understand that agriculture is not just farming; it’s a sustainable way of life. If we don’t have Ag Education, we will have many uneducated people in the world.

With a rapidly increasing population and a demand to feed 9.6 billion people by the year 2050, the agriculture industry needs talented, and passionate youth willing to make a commitment to agriculture. Many of these individuals will not have the production background that some have grown up in. They must learn this knowledge and understand the depth of the industry. This is best accomplished through middle school and high school agricultural education classes, where students have the opportunity to learn and develop the skills necessary for us to remain world leaders in agriculture.

Why it’s important that they learn?

The world is adapting at a radical pace and the children of today are growing up into a world where updates are daily, technology is seemingly limitless and there are millions of directions one could take.

But how many of these children will learn more about the cute farm animals and the foods they eat (other than what’s healthy and unhealthy). In schools, there isn’t a great focus on agriculture because it’s trumped by mathematics and sciences. And, while those are important, even in the agricultural sector, attention needs to be drawn to farming.

Our new initiative:

We have successfully completed 4 weeks to Agriculture training for school children. This lockdown, COVID-19 issues, etc has put Children in Home. So we thought this is the exact time to begin this with few Children. 

Week1: Introduction about agriculture and the importance of Children learning agriculture.

Week 2: Practical sessions of preparing organic manures like Azolla

Week 3: Follow up of Azolla production set up and distribution of greens seeds to grow in a small level within their home.

Week 4: Setting up of agriculture garden.

The interest Children show is very energetic and sharing positivity.

A big Thank you to all who are helping us to build "Future Agriculture"