ICA

Global Research Assembly

Chicago

July, 1977

INTENT

The intent of this curriculum is to simplify the complexity that is agriculture, teach mayor points in a simplified way, be useable in a variety of situations in part or in whole, and include the unique aspects of the H.D.P. approach. It is built for use by the trek but is also applicable for continuing use by the projects and schools themselves. The curriculum is taught amidst the interworkings of three people: one, the village man; two, the technician; and three, the catalytic person. Eventually this curriculum could be expanded and practicalized to allow guild leaders and agricultural trainees to teach it themselves and to others.

In a very real way, the weight of Social Demonstration must be shared by all the people. The particular demands are to sustain the basic food sustenance and nutritional demands for a community and then to begin to expand these efforts toward integrated basic industries for agricultural profitability. The most essential element necessary for this to happen would be for corporateness to happen on a large scale as a sign to that specific community.

The intent of the Guild module is to have each farmer see the whole picture of farming on a corporate scale and how it ties into the totality of Social Demonstration, to have him understand that his efforts are a part of a complexly united Global Social Demonstration, and to then allow him to focus upon the very particular necessary elements of the village plan for the purpose of formulating a 5 & 10 year plan.

Out of the Training module would come the understanding that every villager involved in the Agriculture guild could count on skill upgrading and as the necessity arises, he could be given specialized vocational skills that compliment the whole project; such as welding and various forms of farm management. The guilder would be given tools toward image creation whereby they are capable of getting the expert help they need at various stages of development, and eventually be able to imaginally demonstrate and pass on their trade and skills to others.

The intent of the Resources module is to have each farmer see how the power of consolidated and cohesive efforts can be concentrated into various farming enterprises, to have him realize the necessity of cooperation and pull together toward a common production factor, and to have him comprehend that all the resources of the community must be shared in order to fulfill his dream for the future.

The intent of the Planning Methods module is to teach the farmers how to build a consensus among the villagers that a certain number of acres must be planted each year toward various crop yields and to enable them to see a general plan evolve which cares for every last acre, to help them cultivate a sense of rhythm about the farming operation that signals life and death in a very real way through actual planting and harvesting, and to assist them to actualize a sense that they are a very important link in the Development of the new village of the future.

The intention of the CROPS section of the curriculum is to teach the local farmers the basic methods which they require to utilize all the available land to continually grow the best crops possible with the least risk, and to acquaint the farmers with the steps they can take to get help with the problems that they may encounter.

The Land Preparation module is intended to teach the farmers the value of utilizing fertilizers, conservation practices, good tillage techniques, and land clearing and leveling to get maximum yield from the land in both the short and long run and to stimulate the pride of the whole village through the highly viable results of organized, intentional land use. The agricultural trek team might utilize photographs which show the effects of adequate and inadequate amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on various crops, and they might prepare and plant a plot of poorly tilled, unfertilized land alongside a plot of well tilled, well fertilized land to let the villagers see the results first hand.

The Seeds module is intended to teach the farmers the methods for selecting, procuring, treating, and sowing seeds in order that they will be able to obtain high quality seeds on their own, protect their seeds for a higher germination percentage, and sow their seeds in such a pattern as to achieve highest possible yields. The agricultural trek team might demonstrate planting methods by planting small plots of various seeds and seed treatment by sowing a small plot with treated seeds next to a similar plot where the same type of seeds are planted without treatment, returning to observe the differences in germination.

The Equipment module is intended to introduce the farmers to appropriate equipment which could be utilized in the village to break loose new cultivation, production, or product possibilities and to impress the farmers with the importance of regular maintenance and prompt repair as well as the possibilities which accompany the decision to purchase equipment for a village owned equipment pool. The trek team might contact equipment manufacturers who would come to the village to demonstrate the use, maintenance, and repair of their equipment.

The Crop Care module is intended to teach the farmer how he can reduce his contingencies and protect his other input investments and thus see how he can partially control the factors which previously limited and sometimes completely destroyed his capability to produce a good crop. The trek team might demonstrate a rat poisoning method for the whole village which would show dramatically how the farmers could control the animal which eats one­fifth of the world's food crops each year.

The aim of this curriculum on animals for Human Development projects is to teach methods and demonstrate effective facilities, ­­ grading of breeding stock, feeding methods, and disease prevention. It will train local villagers in methods of designing buildings, selecting and breeding stock, feeding and mixing feeds, and identifying, treating, and preventing diseases. It will train local village workers in obtaining access to local­regional expertise.

The Facilities module is intended to demonstrate methods which enable the community to provide itself with complete nutrition, to decide effective organization of living space, to provide agricultural commerce, and to attain a profitable scale of agricultural production. Types of things that will be done include controlling parasites, protecting crops, providing sanitation, and erecting animal buildings. Methods of effecting this curriculum include building poultry sheds, rabbit hutches, animal manure pits, and fencing.

The Breeding module is intended to teach ways of increasing stock quality, and improving stock production in the community. Methods for actuating this aim are trips to livestock stations, doing artificial insemination, and holding animal Judging contests

The Feeding module is intended to demonstrate systems of feed harvesting, storage, and processing that increase agricultural production. Methods of teaching this curriculum include making livestock feed, demonstrating feed grinding, and demonstrating storage methods.

The Disease module is intended to develop local expertise in prevention, immunization and access to local expertise. The overall effect will be to reduce the dependence of the village on animal contingency such as disease and parasites. Methods to accomplish this aim are drenching animals to kill parasites, and instituting a village barefoot veterinarian program.

Whether the farming unit is family or community based, self-conscious management has to be developed. As people begin to be trained in these practics, they need to meet together as a management unit for the sake of intensifying their skills. These managers then are an important resource within the community where such skills are lacking. This curriculum delimits training arenas for these emerging specialists.

Integrated Production Module deals with the obstacle of [individualism militating against integrated and planned production It can be overcome by farmers who store and hold in store houses both animals and crops to be sold by collective action at appropriate places and profitable prices, utilizing fully the by­products thereof. This will be demonstrated dramatically with a few farmers initially, helping them to b obtain the necessary credit to permit them to wait for the sales.

Marketing of products at the best possible prices can be achieved through grading and inspection. Corporate action to pool produce and to transport will be promoted through corporate management methods. Studying marketing and field trips to marketing centers will help demonstrate the value of doing local marketing studies, to get the true value of their work.

Record Keeping Module gives the value of labor, fertilizer seed, equipment, bank interest, etc . as budgeted overagainst recorded aales. Periodic accountability is done to assess the profitability of all projects. This is demonstrated by a few farmers and guilders learning this simple process, and then teaching it to other farmers.

Decision Making Module is the discernment and assessment at every stage of the business of agriculture. To see farmers corporately identify their mayor thrusts for the best ultimate advantage. This can be demonstrated in actual planning sessions which incorporate reflection on the community level.