Sustainable agriculture
Curriculum links
HSIE/SOSE: Interrelationships between human activity and environments result in particular patterns of land and
resource use, and can cause environmental problems; Governments and communities need to balance economic,
social, political and environmental factors through sustainable development, consumption and production.
Section 1: Introduction
a) Define sustainable. Do you think all farming is sustainable?
b) Define agriculture. Write your own definition of sustainable agriculture.
c) Develop a list of criteria that farming practices would need to meet in order to be recognised as
sustainable.
d) “Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime”. Explain this statement in
the context of sustainable agriculture.
Section 2: Farmer Field Schools in Nepal case study
1. Watch the video clip about the Farmer Field Schools in Nepal. (The DVD-ROM is available, free,
from Caritas Australia).
2. Use the DVD study guide to explore the activities of the Farmer Field Schools and how they have
benefited the farmers and their families through sustainable agriculture techniques.
3. Ballot box tests
In the film, the farmers use ballot box tests before and after the trials to measure what they have learned.
These are like multiple-choice questions where they place a piece of paper or rice in the pouch they
think is the correct answer. Make your own ballot box test – questions could be about sustainable
agriculture or other activities you saw in the film. Have three possible answers for each question. Only
one should be exactly right. (Don’t make it too easy)
4. Pesticides and fertilisers
a) What is the difference between a pesticide and a fertiliser?
In the film, the farmers leaned to make their own botanical pesticides and fertilisers from readily available
natural materials.
b) Why did the farmers in Nepal need to use pesticides and fertilisers?
c) Why is it better for farmers to make their own pesticides and fertilisers than to buy them? (Consider
cost, health and environment).
d) Research how you can make your own fertiliser from compost. You could set up an experiment to see
if your plants grow best in soil without fertiliser or in soil with your compost.
5. What can impact on sustainable agriculture?
a) Students brainstorm all the factors that could impact on sustainable agriculture (eg. natural disasters
including flood, drought and fire, fertiliser prices, no access to markets, and insect pests eating crops).
b) How is Caritas Australia helping farmers in Nepal to minimise these risk factors?
Secondary
HSIE/SOSE
Classroom activities
Last updated Jan 2012
6. Bringing good news to the poor
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus talks of “bringing good news to the poor” (Luke 4:16-19, 21). How does the
story of Kaluram relate to this statement?
For some suggestions see: http://caritas.org.au/about/who-we-are
Section 3: Future Food Security in Uganda case study
Watch a video or read the story about Teopista and the sustainable agriculture project she joined.
a) Why is this project about ‘sustainable’ agriculture?
b) What key elements of this project will ensure sustainability?
c) Why is sustainability important in all development work?
Section 4: Fairtrade
a) Learn about Fairtrade at http://www.fta.org.au/about-fairtrade/faqs
b) Read Caritas Australia’s Fair Trade Document: www.caritas.org.au
c) What is the relationship between Fairtrade and Sustainable Agriculture?
Section 5: Do Genetically Modified (GM) seeds affect sustainability?
a) What is the ‘terminator gene’?
b) Some people have called it a ‘weapon of mass destruction’. Why do you think this is?
c) What are the benefits of the terminator gene?
d) Who benefits from the terminator gene?
e) Why do you think a ‘terminator’ gene would significantly impact on farmers already living in poverty?
f) Do you think using seed with the terminator gene is a sustainable agriculture practice? Why/ why not?
g) Is the ‘terminator’ gene banned in Australia?
Note: The terminator gene is just one issue regarding genetically manipulated organisms. Some states in
Australia have continued their ban on GM crops, while other Australian states have lifted the ban.
Section 6: Share what you have learned
Create a display for your school foyer that informs others and raises awareness of how sustainable
agriculture affects communities living in poverty. Come up with an action that you could encourage
parents and students to take, such as lobbying for a certain Fairtrade product to be stocked by a local
supermarket.
Note: Additional information is available at www.caritas.org.au/learn/global-poverty-issues/food-securityand-sustainable-agriculture
Secondary
HSIE/SOSE
Classroom activities
Last updated Jan 2012