Integrating Sustainability into Agricultural Education: dealing with complexity, uncertainty and diverging worldviews

The global urgency to address sustainability issues is increasingly being reflected in the manner in which institutions of higher education are giving priority to the teaching, research and practice of sustainability. They recognise the critical role in creating sustainable futures through the education they provide, and it is not surprising that those engaged in agricultural education are particularly sensitive to the issue of sustainability. This position paper captures the main outcomes of the AFANet activity that focused on the integration of sustainability in education for agriculture and rural development. The main challenges addressed are: conceptual and thematic challenges with regards to integrating sustainability, and the implications for teaching and learning. Emphasis is placed upon the human development aspect of education, rather than on the instrumental use of education in trying to alter people's behaviour in a pre- and expert determined direction. A plea is made to complement more traditional ways of looking at the world with more systematic and holistic frameworks which can help learners address complexity and uncertainty, and can open alternative ways of knowing and valuing.

Integrating Sustainability into Agricultural Education: dealing with complexity, uncertainty and diverging worldviews by A.E.J. Wals, R. Bawden, Ed. AFANet, 2000