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ŽutinićĐ., et.al.: Education in function of development of family farming……..
PROGRESS REPORT
Report type:Final report
Reporting period: October 1999 – September 2001
Title of Project:Education in the Function of Development of Family
Farming
(Formal and informal forms of education as the factors of development and modernization agriculture and village)
Contract No.:Re. 320-1/98-1/90, File No. 320-02-98-44
Project start:October 7, 1998 (Contract date July 31, 1998)
Primary researcher:Dr Đurđica Žutinić, Assistant Professor
Participating institution:Faculty of Agriculture, University of ZagrebDepartment of Agricultural Economy and Rural Sociology
______October 31, 2001______
(date)
______
(Primary Researcher)
FINAL REPORT
Executive Summary
Successful improvement of the Croatian agriculture, particularly of the family farms as its predominant form, and the rural development both demand availability of the so-called knowledge capital. Based on this assumption, the research focused on the analysis of the existing educational system (regular and informal education, educational infrastructure) and need for general and specialized education of the farmers. A separate research component was the one dealing with the professional orientation of the young towards the family farming. As required for the research, the available statistical data and documentation were used, and some empirical surveys conducted on a sample comprised of the farmers and the young population.
Summary of the essential research findings:
- Existence of a discrepancy between the (formal) professional education of farmers and demands of the contemporary market-oriented agricultural production
The qualification structure of the farmers is far more unfavorable than the structure of other categories of the working population. The educated groups of rural and agricultural working population are actually marginal, and an average school education coefficient is considerably lower than for the non-farming population. When it comes to the transfer of new technologies and hands-on-experience, only a relatively small number of farmers (16.4 percent) were significantly influenced by an extension officer (extension service). Almost two thirds acquired their knowledge and skills from their parents or by learning from their own mistakes (published paper, see attachment).
- The (formal) educational system has inadequately developed subsystem intended for the family farming and rural sector.
Although more than two thousand schools are working in Croatia, on average only one school comes to four rural settlements. The teaching in the rural schools follows unified curriculum, with negligible coverage of agriculture and its importance for development of the complete national economy and the rural areas. The primary schools practice a comparatively small number of extracurricular activities which would contribute to more intensive socialization, particularly of the rural children, towards agriculture (e.g. there are 142 student cooperatives, 68 percent of them agricultural, and only 232 primary schools have gardens). The professional agricultural education if offered by thirty secondary schools (six of them agricultural) with curricula for lower-grade "specialization" and agricultural technicians (attachments 2 and 3). The curricula do not offer knowledge required for adequate qualification of the farming generation on family farms for work under market conditions (minimum knowledge in the economy, farm management, and the like), and they are not tailored to the actual jobs. Although it formally exists, the practical training is inadequate since most schools have no adequate "facilities". The interdisciplinary collaboration with the similar two-year colleges, four-year university colleges and scientific research institutes and services is rather poor. Some of these schools do not fill the approved enrollment quotas because the young are not interested in this profession.
- There is a comparatively small number of additional educational forms and intellectual services (informal education and self-education) for the family farming and rural sector
Public extension services, educational institutions offering additional specialized education and permanent training, demonstration polygons, demonstration farms and the like are non-existent in the villages. The current "system" of professional support to the farmers is mainly operating through the extension service. Considering the number of the extension officers (three to four on one hundred thousand family farms on average) and their qualifications (inadequate number of experts in agricultural economy, management, rural development and the like), the service cannot play an important role when it comes to faster adjustment of the Croatian agriculture to the current trends and market economy, particularly since a large number of family farms is outside the area of its coverage.
- Changes are imperative in type of specialized knowledge and educational approach to the know-how transfer to the farmers
The farmers feel the worst insufficiency of the production economy (calculations, cost estimates and the like), plant protection, management and work organization know-how, and to a lesser degree the need for education on agricultural engineering and soil tillage. The most favored "form" of the specialized training for the educated farmers are courses and seminars, while the farmers with lower formal education prefer direct contacts with the extension officers on the farms (paper attached).
- Instability in family farm succession and need for reaffirmation of farming profession among the young
Share of farmers between 15 and 24 years of age in total working agricultural population was only 7.7 percent in 1991, and during the preceding thirty years it decreased by 2.5 times.
Comparative results of the empirical research (four time intervals) on a sample comprising the young between 15 and 24 years of age in four villages representing the Croatian macroregions indicate decrease in the share of the young farmers from 16.7 percent[1] to the symbolical 0.4 percent. At the same time, the education index for the young farmers is twice lower than that for the other working youth. Since the education of the rural youth is the major avenue of abandonment of the agriculture, the succession of the family farms is becoming questionable.
These results were used to draw up the guidelines for development of flexible and poly-functional system of adequate general and specialized education for sustainable development of the family farms which would contribute to the improvement of the "cultural" capital of the local rural areas (attachment 1). These recommendations have been incorporated in the Croatian Agricultural Strategy[2].
Research Objectives and Principles
The primary objective of the project was to determine the limiting factors of the existing general and specialized farmers (formal and informal) education system. The results were expected to serve as the guidelines to the prospective creators of the educational, agricultural and rural policies contributing to the increase in the farmers' qualification level and gradual professionalization of their work at the family farms. To readdress the need for a wider scientific research into the professional orientation of the young towards the family farming (the present research offers only a partial insight into this issue) in order to initiate promotion and reaffirmation of this "profession".
Methods and Results
Various methods were used in this research. The statistical and school documentation data were used, and interviews made with an agricultural education adviser and an agricultural school headmaster. Further, the secondary analysis was made of the conducted research.
As necessary for the empirical research on a sample comprising of vital family farms and the rural youth, special surveys were prepared. The data processing was done by application of standard statistical methods used to analyze frequency distribution, percentages and averages. A bivariant analysis has been conducted of specific pairs of variables (contingency tables, chi-square test, and contingency coefficient).
The researchers collaborated with the Education Department of the State Statistics Bureau, agricultural schools, Ministry of Education and Sport, and the Youth Technical Culture Promotion Center. Also, the relevant specialists in the field have been consulted.
Project Activities and Outputs
The research results have been presented at the Croatian (3) and foreign (4) scientific and professional gatherings, and published in the Croatian and foreign journals and Proceedings (see list of publications). The project leader with the collaborators organized a round table titled Agricultural Education Issues (with the project leader and consultant being the first speakers). The round table was attended by the teachers and experts from relevant institutions and services (agricultural schools, two-year and four-year agricultural colleges, agricultural institutes, the Croatian Agricultural Extension Institute and the like). The documents containing the project results were distributed to all the participants.
The project results are used in education of under-graduate and post-graduate students at the agricultural economy department.
- List of publications
1.Đurđica Žutinić, (1998): Značaj obrazovanja za razvitak obiteljske poljoprivrede, (Importance of education in development of (peasant) family farming), Znanstveni glasnik, no. 5-6, p. 159-167, Sveučilište u Mostaru
2.Srećko Brkić (1998) : Osnovna škola u modernizaciji sela i poljoprivrede (The function of elementary school in modernization of agriculture),Zbornika radova – učeničko zadrugarstvo, Zagreb
3.Đurica Žutinić and Tito Žimbrek (1999) : Agricultural consultancy services and agricultural education for family farming- View in the future, IX ECAE, Poster Session Abstract, p. 191-192, Warsaw, Poland.
4.Đurđica Žutinić i Srećko Brkić., (1999): “Odnos seljaka prema stručnom obrazovanju” u Zborniku savjetovanja “Gospodarske smjernice razvitka hrvatskog poljodjelstva”, Zagreb
5.Đurđica Žutinić i Srećko Brkić (1999): Stavovi seljaka o stručnom obrazovanju u poljoprivredi, Sociologija sela, br. 2-3, str.149-166, IDIS, Zagreb.
6.Đurđica Žutinić i Kristina Svržnjak (1999) : Institucijska potpora poljoprivredi – Obrazovanje i istraživanje u Stanje hrvatske poljoprivrede i ocjene mogućih promjena, studija (ur.- T. Žimbrek) Agronomski fakultet, Zagreb.
7.Đurđica Žutinić (1999) : Obrazovni i znanstveno istraživački sustav u poljoprivredi u Stanje hrvatske poljoprivrede i ocjene mogućih promjena, studija (ur.- T. Žimbrek) Agronomski fakultet, Zagreb.
8.Srećko Brkić i Đurđica Žutinić (2000): Education of Rural Youth as the Factor of Exodus or Professionalization of Farming, Abstracts book, X Congress of Rural Sociology, Rio de Jainero, Brazil.
9.Srećko Brkić i Đurđica Žutinić (2001): Education of Rural Youth as the Factor of Exodus or Professionalization of Farming, “Eastern European Countryside” No 7-01, Tourn Poland.
10.S. Brkić, M. Bobanc. M. Tratnik i Đurđica Žutinić (2001):Agricultural Students Preference of Family Farming As Profession, Abstracts book XIX Congress of European Society for Rural Sociology, Dijon, Francuska
11.S. Brkić, M. Tratnik, M. Bobanc i Đurđica Žutinić (2001) :Preferiranje obiteljske poljoprivrede kao zanimanja kod studenata agronomije, u printu Poljoprivredna znanstvena smotra, Agronomski fakultet, Zagreb
Planned Data Distribution
The data and results have been distributed and published during the course of the project. Their use on the future projects is also possible.
The research team intends to publish the study with detailed insight into the research results and analysis, which means that additional funds are needed for continuation of the project.
Attachment 1
Recommendations
The prospects of the Croatian agriculture, particularly of the family farming as its predominating organizational form, directly depend on professionalization of the farming, namely increase in level and improvement in general and specialized farmer education. Thus, the concept of the family farming and entrepreneurship development, along with the rural development, must be based on setting up of functional relations between the educational and development policies (agricultural and rural policies) aimed at strengthening of the basic know-how and capacities, encouraging of initiatives, realistic synergy compatible with the dynamical nature of the scientific and technological achievements. This demands the development of a flexible, poly-functional general and specialized farmer education subsystem. Consequently, it is necessary to improve the basic and formal institutional agricultural education and improve and elaborate alternative concepts of specialized education and different sources of expert support and other intellectual services tailored to the end users - farmers.
Future activities
- To reaffirm the idea of the economic importance of the agriculture and of the preservation of rural areas in the rural schools (ruralization of education) through additional contents in the curricula and adequate methodical forms; promote students' cooperative drives, school gardens, extracurricular activities, and the like.
- In addition to the technical and process knowledge gained at the agricultural schools, their curricula should be expanded with various information and knowledge (interdisciplinary approach) that will contribute to building of capacities that are more adequate for the market conditions (management, planning, and the like) and integration of the future agricultural generation into the modern social trends (information technology, ecology, humanities). The obligatory specialized programs should be tailored to the characteristics of the regional agriculture. The monolithic educational and know-how transfer models should be avoided, the curricula should be updated, and the information technology must be integrated with the teaching practice.
- Upgrade the specialized four-year college curricula with economics and agricultural management, and set up the curricula for extension services and rural development[3].
- Regional focal points should be set up for regular additional education and permanent training of the farmers, such as adult education centers, which would offer both agricultural and related subjects, such as the household economics courses, computer courses, foreign languages, culinary skills and the like.
- The demonstration facilities should be set up for practical training of the students and young farmers and their gaining of the initial hands-on experience, there where they are not available. These might be pilot family farms, educational parks for presentation of agricultural technologies, demonstration polygons, and the like.
- Expand public and private self-education sources, adequate for and accessible to the farmers (specialized media, newspaper columns, TV and radio shows, specialized and popular editions including the data bases and data banks, which is the primary challenge at the moment).
- Capacity building in extension service (the most favored "form" of know-how and technology transfer among the farmers), broader-based professional approach and more intensive links with the research institutes and educational institutions.
Attachment 2
Table 1 Curriculum of the Croatian agricultural high schools
School / Qualification /Duration, yrs
/ Classes- Srednja škola Dragutina Stražimira
- Srednja škola Bedekovčina
- Srednja škola Petrinja
- Tehnološko-kemijska škola Karlovac
- Poljoprivredna i veterinarska škola “Arboretum Opeka” -Vinica
-Agr. technician – gardener
-Florist / 4
4
3 / 0.5
0.5
1.0
- Srednja gospodarska škola Križevci
-Agr. technician - general
-Agr. technician - phyto pharmacist
-Gardener
-Dairyman / 3
4
3
3
3 / 1.0
2.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
- Graditeljska škola za ind. i obrt Rijeka
-Florist / 3
3 / 1.0
1.0
- Industrijsko-obrtnička škola Virovitica
- Poljoprivredno-prehrambena škola Požega
-Agr. technician - general
-Agr. technician- phyto pharmacist
-Fruit-grower, wine-grower and –maker
-Florist hand / 3
4
3
3
3 / 1.0
0.5
0.5
1.0
1.0
- Srednja škola Matije A. Reljkovića Slavonski Brod
-Agr. technician - - plant prod.
-Agr. technician - gardener
-Agr. technician - general
-Agr. technician - phyto pharmacist
- Agricultural manager / 3
4
4
4
4
3 / 1.0
0.5
0.5
1.0
1.0
1.0
- Srednja škola Stanka Ožanića Zadar
-Florist
-Agricultural manager / 4
3
3 / 1.0
0.5
0.5
- Poljoprivredna i veterinarska škola Osijek
-Agr. technician - phyto pharmacist
-Agricultural machinery technician / 4
4
3 / 2.0
1.0
0.5
- Obrtnička škola Antuna Horvata Đakovo
-Agr. technician - phyto pharmacist
-Fruit-grower, wine-grower and -maker
-Agricultural manager / 4
3
3
3 / 1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
- Srednja škola Donji Miholjac
-Agr. technician - general
-Agricultural manager / 3
4
3 / 0.5
1.0
0.5
Cont’d
School / Qualification /Duration, yrs
/ Classes- Druga srednja škola Beli Manastir
- Fruit-grower, wine-grower and -maker (in Hungarian) / 3
3 / 1.0
1.0
- Srednja škola Dalj
- Agr. technician- general (in Serbian) / 4
4 / 1.0
1.0
- Škola za obrtnička zanimanja Šibenik
-Gardener
-Florist / 3
3
3 / 0.33
0.33
0.33
- Treća srednja škola Vukovar
-Agriculturist (in Serbian)
-Fruit-grower, wine-grower and –maker
-Fruit-grower, wine-grower and –maker (in Serbian) / 3
3
3
3 / 0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
- Poljoprivredno-šumarska škola Vinkovci
-Agr. technician- plant prod.
-Agr. technician- phyto pharmacist
- Gardener hand –TES?? / 3
4
4
3 / 1.0
1.0
1.0
0.5
- Srednja škola Ilok
-Agr. technician - general (in Serbian) / 4
4 / 1.0
1.0
- Obrtničko-industrijska škola Županja
- Srednja škola “Braća Radić” Kaštel Štafilić Nehaj
-Agr. technician - phyto pharmacist
-Fruit-grower, wine-grower and -maker
-Florist / 4
4
3
3 / 0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
- Srednja škola Mate Balota Poreč
- Obrtnička škola Dubrovnik (u Stonu)
-Florist / 3
3 / 0.33
0.33
- Gospodarska škola Čakovec
-Gardener
-Florist
-Florist?? 2 puta isto??
-Agricultural manager / 4
3
3
3
3 / 1.0
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
- Poljoprivredna škola Zagreb
-Agr. technician - general
-Agr. technician - phyto pharmacist
-Gardener
- Florist / 4
4
4
3
3 / 1.0
3.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
Source: Vjesnik, Ministry of Education and Sport, Issue 5/ Year II. Zagreb, May 19, 1998
[1]The results of the research conducted in these villages in 1968 using the same research methodology as in 2000.
[2]The project leader participated in preparation of the Draft Agriculture Bill and the Croatian Development Strategy, sections on Agriculture and Nourishment.
[3]Introduction of these studies is an urgent task in order to meet demand of the agricultural and rural development (agricultural managers, banking experts in agriculture, agricultural and rural policy planners, wider-based agricultural extension services, and the like).