RED DEER — Project Agriculture is a new program to teach Alberta high school students about where their food comes from.
Designed by the Alberta poultry, egg and dairy farmer organizations, the online education program is free with curriculum links, projects, questions and information for students from Grades 7-12.
The program was launched in two Edmonton schools late last year, said Chelsea Kamprath of the Alberta Hatching Egg Producers.
The farm groups have tried to create an accurate information package that includes video interviews with farmers from each participating group.
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The concept received funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and this year they will start promoting the program to teachers. Students are encouraged to try special projects that could be posted to the website.
Topics on the website cover food democracy on a local and international level, smart agriculture using technology and sustainability.
“Because agriculture is such a large project we decided we had to focus in areas where we hit the most curriculum points,” she said at the Alberta poultry conference held in Red Deer Feb. 25.
The next step is to add more material and involve other commodity groups interested in reaching students in junior and senior high school. The program has received Alberta government approval and may expand to partner with Ag for Life.
For more information, visit www.projectagriculture.ca.
