Letter: Schooling farmers

This refers to an article titled "Should farmers be sent back to school?" (the Post, Nov. 24). The farmers rated experiential learning, problem solving and critical thinking as important skills in the future.

Using a variety of instructional techniques, including cutting-edge technologies, for program delivery was preferred. Programs related to the business management of farming rated very high as current and future topics.

These results support current and future program efforts by extension in beginning farmer education, particularly for programs delivered at the local area. Extension is a major educational provider in adult and continuing education, particularly for agricultural audiences.

In Ethiopia, the evidence of strong external (social) benefits of schooling was also uncovered, suggesting that there may be considerable opportunities to take advantage of external benefits of schooling in terms of increased farm productivity if school enrollments in rural areas are increased.

In Indonesia, the education for sustainable development aims to help farmers develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge to make informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, now and in the future, and to act upon these decisions.

Bayu Aji
Tokyo