Urban Farming Educator

Urban Farming Educator
200 Classroom Hours
11 Credit Hours

Start Dates:
October 19th, 2012 AM
March 14th, 2013 PM

Overview

SWIHA’s new 200 hour Urban Agriculture Educator Certificate of Excellence trains students in the means, methods, and philosophies of converting private and public urban spaces into productive farm land that will support individual families, or the economies of an entire community. Offered both on-campus and online through our fully-facilitated format, Urban Agriculture Educator teaches students raw food cooking, herbology, hydroponics, integrated pest management, and small livestock. In addition, and most importantly, students will discuss how to become an entrepreneur and learn about reaching out into their community to train others in the methods and philosophy they have adopted.

Nature of the Work: Urban Agricultural Educators are able to advise people on how to start and manage their urban farms, whether it’s on their small patio or lush backyard. Consider combining this Urban Farming knowledge with any of our other programs such as Life Coaching or Holistic Nutrition, and learn to effectively coach and educate people to a healthy, balanced wellness on many levels.

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REQUIRED URBAN FARMING EDUCATOR CORE COURSES

UF 200 Urban Farming Educator - Got Food...Now What?
UF 210 Urban Farming Educator - Herbology Introduction
UF 220 Urban Farming Educator - Advanced Growing Techniques
UF 230 Urban Farming Educator - Small Livestock
UF 240 Urban Farming Educator - Sharing Sustainability

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Urban and peri-urban farms already supply food to about 700 million city dwellers -- one-quarter of the world's urban population -- and nearly all of the world's population growth between now and 2030 will be concentrated in urban areas in developing countries, so that by then almost 60% of people in developing countries will live in cities. With this rapid growth in our cities, farming in and around urban areas needs to play a bigger role in feeding city populations.

URBAN AGRICULTURE

helps to fill the need of urban dwellers seeking information and education of the feasibility of a urban farming
involves using small plots such as vacant lots, gardens or roof tops in the city for growing crops
can take many forms, from small "microgardens" to larger operations
can also involve animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforestry and horticulture
is generally practiced for income-earning or food-producing activities, contributing to food security and food safety
is thought to help restores peoples' connection to nature by instilling a sense of stewardship and care for the land giving the farmer a better appreciation of the land's natural processes
provides an outlet for better health and nutrition, increased income, employment, food security within the household, and community social life
can be seen as a means of improving the livelihood of people living in and around cities
allows for organic waste can be composted and processed into the soil for added nutrients and soil structure
shows that planting increased numbers of gardens in a city environment improves air quality close to pollution sources
results in shorter travel distance from producer to consumer - with less transportation of produce, less fuel is consumed by vehicles and less protective packaging is necessary for the produce, adding to both environmental and health benefits
encourages the production of rare varieties of fruits and vegetables - urban gardeners tend to cultivate a wider variety of crops, conserving unique cultivars and enhancing agricultural diversity
gardens act as refuge for wildlife such as soil organisms, wild plants, insects, birds and amphibians thus increasing the biodiversity within the city environment
can help in climate regulation through the absorption of greenhouse gases

This program is fully accredited | Financial aid is available to those who are qualified

Call 480-994-9244 and speak with an advisor today!

Need tuition assistance?

Since SWIHA is a nationally-accredited college approved by the US Department of Education, students enrolled in programs of 600 hours or more may qualify for Federal Student Aid in the form of Pell grants and student loans. In addition, we offer a 10% cash concession on tuition for programs paid in full at the time of enrollment.