SMART DISCOVERY FARMING TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Statement of Problem: Arkansas has 13.8 million acres of total farmland.Agriculture is the most important industry in Arkansas, accounting for almost $20 billion of itsoverall economy. Still, as the climate continues to change, the overall production of crops inArkansas will be affected.Addressing climate change has become a high-priority issue in USDA with the release ofits Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan in October 2021. The sustainability and profitability of agricultural production systems are threatened by climate change, as larger, moreintense storms are occurring that can create both flooding and extreme drought in the same growingseason.Various climate-smart agriculture farming practices and technologies exist; however, adoption ofthese practices among underserved producers is due to lack of accessibility, knowledge, and theirinability to take risks. MajorGoal 1: Through extension and educational training, we aim toencourage producers to adopt climate smart practices in agriculture bydeveloping a pilot climate-smart extension program in agriculture for historically underservedproducers.Statement of Problem: The changing enrollment demographic in Colleges of Agriculture reflectsthe agricultural industry, especially as society continues to shift away from production agricultureand move towards bioengineering (Dohm, 2005) and sustaining our agricultural practices throughenvironmental preservation (USDA Press Release, 2015). Clinging to the idea that only "traditional"students (from rural farming backgrounds) can complete agriculture-related degrees limits thenumber of potential students that a college of agriculture will appeal to in an already competitivemarket. Major Goal 2: Establish a Discovery Farm educational center on the UAPB campus farm to providehands-on education in climate-smart agriculture for undergraduates, K-12, and workforcedevelopment.Our goal is to increase awareness and attract kids at an early age to major in agriculture careers. Also, toprovide undergarduates and graduateseducation and training for workforce development in soil, water, conservation, and otheragriculture careers.