Exploring STEM and Artificial Intelligence Education via Agriculture
In a significant shift towards a tech-savvy future, the National FFA Organization, originally known as the Future Farmers of America, founded in 1928, has been at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and precision farming into educational curricula. Over the past two years, the organisation has released a comprehensive suite of resources aimed at fostering sustainability in agriculture.
One of the key partnerships that the FFA has forged is with Microsoft, bringing the FarmBeats precision agricultural program to over 185 schools across the nation. This initiative equips schools with a motherboard and agricultural sensor system, allowing students to monitor plant environments and suggest better growing conditions using smart sensors, data science, and AI.
Scott Stump, the CEO of the National FFA Organization, views agricultural education as a form of STEM education. He believes that connecting students to farming education can help expose them to important career opportunities in the agricultural industry. Stump, who previously worked as a teacher, led students to the school farm to study the ecosystem and identify life forms, instilling a passion for science and technology in his pupils.
The FFA provides resources for over 300 agricultural career opportunities, encompassing roles in science, production, engineering, and design. Stump emphasises the importance of introducing students to AI technology to prepare them for future jobs, as AI and data science become increasingly important in agriculture and agricultural education.
The organisation's efforts are not limited to the classroom. The Midwest, with its vast cornfields, pulls in a lot of carbon out of the atmosphere during the summer, acting as a carbon sink. The FFA is working with schools to integrate precision farming into curricula, helping students understand the role of agriculture in mitigating climate change.
In addition to the FarmBeats program, the FFA offers a wide variety of resources to help teachers make biology and chemistry practical for students by integrating agricultural applications. These resources range from developing a blight early warning system using a plant's natural colour change to teaching students about soil health and crop management.
The FFA has chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, ensuring that students across the nation have access to these innovative resources. Even schools that don't have large outdoor farms can still get students outside and working with plants, as hands-on learning is a crucial component of the FFA's approach.
Workshops and interdisciplinary programs are another way that the FFA is fostering innovation in agriculture. Universities and research institutions conduct precision agriculture workshops featuring AI-driven tools such as UAV remote sensing, soil conductivity mapping, and robotics. These events facilitate training on AI applications in agriculture, boosting students’ technical skills and fostering innovation mindsets necessary for modern farming challenges.
The fusion of AI and precision farming into educational curricula cultivates STEM interest, hands-on discovery, and a future-ready skill set, transforming traditional agricultural education into a tech-savvy, innovation-driven field poised for the digital age. Stump encourages more students to think about solving global problems using tech and AI, leaning into STEM components.
As the agricultural industry continues to evolve, the National FFA Organization is committed to ensuring that the next generation of farmers and agricultural professionals is equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle the challenges of the future.
- The National FFA Organization, through its partnership with Microsoft, equips over 185 schools' students with a motherboard and agricultural sensor system for monitoring plant environments and suggesting optimal growing conditions using smart sensors, data science, and AI.
- Scott Stump, the CEO of the National FFA Organization, views agricultural education as a form of STEM education, believing it can expose students to important career opportunities in the agricultural industry and instill a passion for science and technology.
- The FFA offers resources for over 300 agricultural career opportunities, encompassing roles in science, production, engineering, and design, and emphasizes the importance of introducing students to AI technology to prepare them for future jobs.
- The FFA is working with schools to integrate precision farming into curricula, helping students understand the role of agriculture in mitigating climate change, such as the Midwest's role as a carbon sink during the summer.
- To foster innovation in agriculture, the FFA conducts workshops and interdisciplinary programs, featuring AI-driven tools like UAV remote sensing, soil conductivity mapping, and robotics, for students to gain technical skills and nurture innovation mindsets needed for modern farming challenges.
