S09 - Session O1 - Addressing urban food security through agriculture career awareness

Authors: Timothy McDermott *, Carol Smathers

Improving future food security will require engaging urban students in current agricultural technologies. Graduates with expertise in food and agriculture are anticipated to fill only 61% of the 57,900 average annual agriculture-related employment openings in the United States. Agriculture is the #1 industry in the state of Ohio, and Ohio ranks in the top 5 states for hydroponic vegetable production. The 2012-2017 Agriculture Census showed a 132% increase in hydroponic vegetable production in the U.S.; Ohio led other states with a 292% increase. Research suggests school gardening and experiential agricultural instruction increase interest in and awareness of food systems and agriculture-related careers. School garden activities can also promote healthy behaviors and improve students' academic achievement. Our objective is to engage urban elementary and secondary teachers in academic calendar, STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, math) growing activities, including hydroponics, that foster interest in agriculture-related careers. To address educators' barriers to implementing gardens and promoting agriculture-related careers, we developed a curriculum for growing and harvesting foods each month of the school yearmin any climate. We interviewed teachers in an urban school district to inform the content and format of this curriculum. Columbus City Schools, Ohio's largest district, is an urban, low-income public school district of 47,000 students that has over 60 gardens. Thirty teachers who implemented school gardens provided feedback on the content and format of the academic calendar growing guide and associated teaching activities. Teachers indicated that certain experiential learning activities with supportive educational videos for schoolyear growing could effectively guide new and seasoned elementary and secondary teachers aiming to enhance students' knowledge and interest in STEM-based urban agriculture techniques and careers. Increasing access to agricultural careers provides economic and social opportunities. This research suggests promising approaches for equipping educators to foster agriculture career interest, addressing urban food security workforce shortfalls.