Progress 08/01/21 to 07/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The overall goal is: Strengthen the nation's workforce in the field of agriculture and natural resources. 1. To attract and support undergraduate students in order to educate them in identified area of national need - Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (ANRM) and Agriculture & Food Technology (AFT); 2: To increase the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a postsecondary degree in ANRM and certificate in AFT; 3: To develop and enhance educational skills of students to use technology in the classroom while seeking a degree. S First, upon the approval of the funders, AFT was able to buy additional materials to complete the installation of the Greenhouse where the Hydroponics is lodged. As of Summer 2023, 4 Interns were assigned for maintenance and germination phase of the Hydroponics facility. Second, AFT program was able to purchase office supplies and gardening materials like plastic box for storage, bags of potting soil, soil test kit, garden tool set, compound microscope, germination kit, bags of fertilizer, potting bags, plastic pots, shovels, assorted seeds, printer ink & toner, memory card, refractometers, projector, etc. With the addition of the materials, students can perform laboratory experiments to expand their knowledge. As of September 2023, Professor Emma Garcia received laboratory tools/equipment for her Chemistry and Science classes where she taught General Education subjects for AFT majors. (See attached picture). As of October 2023, CRE Office received the following Agriculture tools/equipment: 1 BRAND NEW SET OF 43 ASSORTED VEGETABLE & HERB SEED PACKETS - OVER 3000 SEEDS! - INCLUDES YLAR STRAGE BAG - DELUXE GARDEN HEILOOMS SEEDS - 100% NON-GMO 1 BRAND NEW UNIT MANNA PRO HARRIS FARMS NURTURE RIGHT INCUBATOR EGG INCUBATOR FOR HATCHING CHIKCS 360 DEGREE VIEW 1 BRAND NEW UNIT AMSCOPE B120C-E1 40X-2500X LED BIOLOGICAL BINOCULAR COMPOUND MICROSCOPE WITH 3D DOUBLE LAYER MECHANICAL STAGE + 1.0 MP USB DIGITAL CAMERA IMAGER 1 BRAND NEW UNIT SUPER SPROUTER PREMIUM PROPAGATION KIT WITH HEAT MAT, 10" X 20" TRAY, 7" DOME & T5 LIGHT, 5 PIECE, BLACK/CLEAR As of March 2024, AG 110 students had a community outreach at Nan Madol Trekkers Women's Group in celebration of Women's month. The group donated: 1-BRAND NEW SET OF 43 ASSORTED VEGETABLE & HERV SEED PACKETS - OVER 3000 SEEDS! - INCLUDES YLAR STRAGE BAG - DELUXE GARDEN HEILOOMS SEEDS - 100% NON-GMO 1- GARDEN TOOL SET, 13PIECES GARDENING TOOLS WITH GREEN, ERGONOMIC HANDLE TROWEL RAKE WEEDER PRUNER SHEARS SPRAYER, GARDEN AND TOOLS WITH CARRYING CASE FARDENING GIFTS FOR WOMEN As of March 2024, Professor Joyce Roby and Ben Nato, HTM Department received their brand-new MacBook to supplement distance learning in teaching AG 090 for AFT majors. (See attached picture). By May 2024, additional kitchen tools/equipment for the HTM Department are expected to be received to supplement laboratory exercises of AG 090 students. Lastly, in the new normal, students were able to enroll in a Web-based Training for Trainers of Agricultural Workers and Pesticide Handlers course. Not only the AFT students got certified but also ANRM students, and CRE agents as well. The Since the inception of the program, 33 ANRM, 5 CRE agents and 15 AFT students got certified of the Web-based Training for Trainers of Agricultural Workers and Pesticide Handlers Course since Fall 2022; The Technical Assistant created 4 Agricultural videos, 5 online modules on Agricultural topics, and 1 new and improved CRE webpage uploaded in the COM-FSM website; CRE agents made use of the videos and online modules during field work in conducting training workshop and seminar; Professor Joy Guarin, from Yap campus, who is teaching Agriculture course received 2 laptops, and 2 projectors to supplement distance learning; Professor Emma Garcia, CTEC campus, received 1 brand new laptop to supplement distance learning; AFT & ANRM students were able to perform a number of laboratory exercises in crop production and food processing courses; Professor's Roby & Nato, CTEC campus, received 1 brand new laptop each to supplement distance learning; Nan Madol Women's group received Agriculture tools/equipment during AG 110 outreach activity; HTM Department received the brand-new kitchen tools/equipment in May 2024 to supplement AG 090 laboratory exercises. A number of Agriculture students from COM-FSM state campuses received brand-new laptops to supplement distance learning and a way to promote the program. Recommendations for sustaining the support from this program or improving the program were provided which included: Moving forward, CRE agents can be financially supported by the program to further their studies in Agriculture. As of writing, some agents are studying Education courses which is totally not related to Agriculture. Prospect Agriculture students can be financially supported by the program in a form of Scholarship grants. Students must be selected based on certain criteria and qualifications. By any chance if the program can be extended since there is still enough budget, a Poultry and Hatchery Demonstration Farm can be constructed with the help of CRE agents and Instructors. To support the AFT/ANRM Instructors, part of the budget will be used to hire part-time Instructor. Tenured Agriculture Professors across the COM-FSM campuses shall work together to come up with brand new concept paper and proposal for grant renewal. Once the laptops will be released to the Agriculture students, a monitoring and evaluation team shall be in place to monitor the academic progress of the students. Likewise, the use of the brand-new Agriculture and kitchen tools/equipment purchased shall be audited, and monitored if efficiently used by the students. Changes/Problems:The challenge encountered is was the result in change of administration due the departure of the former Project Director (Mrs. Karen Simion). Since her departure, 2 different people have assumed the role of Project Director. This change may account for the delay in the close-out project. In the process of populating the final report, the current project Director (Delihna Ehmes) encountered missing progress reports from previous year that now poses a challenge to terminating the project as part of the close-out. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? There is potential that a Poultry and Hatchery Demonstration Farm can be constructed with the help of CRE agents and Instructors to help create a hands-on platform for students. Such opportunity can also create a closer collaboration between CRE staff and Agriculture Instructors. The demonstration Farm can also provide an opportunity for COM-FSM to connect with local farmers by bringing them onsite for demonstrations. To support the AFT/ANRM Instructors, part of the budget will be used to hire part-time Instructor. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Web pages were developed to disseminate information. Intercommunication (via email, brocures, word of mouth) between COM-FSM campuses was carried out by the Technical assistant through the office of the Vice President for Instructional Affairs. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Since the inception of the program, 33 students in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (ANRM), 5 Cooperative Research Extension (CRE) agents and 15 Agriculture and Food Technology (AFT) students got certified of the Web-based Training for Trainers of Agricultural Workers and Pesticide Handlers Course since Fall 2022. There was a purchase of 45 laptops for the Micronesia Grows Technology program. New webpages were created on topics determined by the faculty and students in the ANRM/AFT program to assist in teaching and learning as well as in the dissemination of information regarding the project. Online textbooks created on topics determined by the coordinators, faculty and students in the ANRM/AFT program as being critical to teaching and learning.
Publications
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