Farming systems education: Case study ofSwedish test pilots

We describe and analyze a pedagogical experiment that introduced a broad and holistic perspective on complete farmingsystems, systemic learning tools, and a participatory learning strategy at an early stage in agronomy education. The paperdescribes the adventure of three students, who came from a conventional agronomy program at the Swedish University ofAgricultural Sciences (SLU), who were frustrated with the lack of integrated approaches to the study of agricultural systemsand a strong focus on molecular-level processes in their first year of education. They encountered a narrow focus in mostcourses and the overall curricula of agricultural education that is a function of specialization and university organization inunique departments that concentrate on small pieces of the large puzzle, that is the production milieu. In the currenteducational environment, it is difficult for students to make connections, integrate information and theories, and to createrelevance to the challenges they observe in the practical world of farming and food systems. The three students agreed to puton pilots’ costumes and climb into an experimental vehicle called experiential learning, one that provides just-in-timeeducation and a very high degree of self-responsibility for the learning process. The paper describes, analyzes, and evaluatesthe comprehensive and exhausting pedagogical process they followed in one semester in Sweden and Viet Nam, withpositive and negative aspects of the program. We provide reflective recommendations from students and advisors for futureagronomic education programs with the focus on developing renewable agriculture, selecting students and evaluatingperformance, and designing practical programs that will motivate highly committed and action-oriented students.