Extension Agents' Perceptions of Climate Change and Training Needs

Autor/inn/en	de Koff, Jason P.; Broyles, Thomas W.
Titel	Extension Agents' Perceptions of Climate Change and Training Needs
Quelle	In: Natural Sciences Education, 48 (2019) 1, (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2168-8281
DOI	10.4195/nse2019.01.0001
Schlagwörter	Extension Education; Extension Agents; Climate; Agricultural Occupations; Agricultural Production; Natural Resources; Federal Government; Government Role; Age Differences; Gender Differences; Information Needs; Weather; Decision Making; Entomology; Tennessee + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Erweitertes Bildungsangebot; Klima; Agriculture; Occupation; Landwirtschaft; Beruf; Landwirtschaftlicher Beruf; Production; Produktion; Agrarproduktion; Landwirtschaftliche Produktion; Natural Ressource; Natürliche Ressource; Bundesregierung; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Geschlechterkonflikt; Information need; Informationsbedürfnis; Wetter; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Entomologie
Abstract	With the current and expected impacts of climate change on the agricultural industry, it is important to provide information to farmers to allow them to adapt and reduce their risk of loss. Extension agents are an important resource and serve as intermediaries between scientists and farmers to provide this information. There is little research, however, related to agents' perceptions of and needs for climate change-related information and no research in the southeastern United States. Survey research was conducted in 2018 with all extension agents in Tennessee who had responsibilities in agriculture and natural resources (n = 138), leading to a response rate of 72% (n = 100). Most agents (78%) believed climate was changing and was caused by both natural changes and human activities (62%). Agents believed climate change was a greater (medium + high + very high level) priority for the federal government (72%) than for extension (58%), which may indicate needs related to understanding potential adaptation strategies for farmers and local examples of impacts of climate change. In general, across the pertinent demographic information collected, older, male agents with more extension experience were less likely to agree that the climate is changing and more likely to identify lower priority levels for climate change in extension. Specific need areas identified by agents and their stakeholders included information on weather variability, agronomic decisions, disease, and pests. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01