This is the second part of a series exploring the work of EARTH University as they provide resources and support to future food systems leaders. Read part one.
EARTH University’s curriculum is training students to effectively meet the needs of rural communities around the world. Today, its alumni are working to end hunger, empower women, and build more resilient food systems.
When the institution was founded 40 years ago, it set out to change global food systems through its students. “The purpose of the university was not to prepare professionals. It was to prepare leaders with professions,” Arturo Condo, President of EARTH, tells Food Tank.
EARTH’s holistic approach to education is informed by three primary tenets: learn by doing, learn by living together, and student-centered learning. This ideology has helped to create a school culture that values diverse perspectives and recognizes the importance of interactive collaboration.
“We challenge our students to break down stereotypes, foster inclusivity, and become forward-thinkers. Students live these values daily, ensuring they can apply them wherever they go after graduation,” Alan Kelso, Chair of the EARTH University Board of Directors, tells Food Tank.
Most of EARTH’s student body are the first in their families to attend college, and the vast majority receive full or partial financial aid.
“All students, irrespective of their background, have access to important resources necessary for them to excel in their studies,” states Sylvia Nakunda, Founder of Farm Reap and a 2003 EARTH graduate, tells Food Tank. “This [academic] approach built my confidence to know that I can do anything I set my mind to.”
Nakunda founded Farm Reap in 2013 with “the mission to help reduce hunger and malnutrition,” in Uganda. Farm Reap is a yogurt producer and distributor that is working to produce affordable, nutritious yogurt products for people living in the central region of the country. In addition to food production, Farm Reap also offers consultant services to improve the business strategy of farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and producer organizations.
In 2023, 25 percent of EARTH’s alumni network—which includes 3,000 alumni across more than 50 countries in the Americas, the Caribbean and Africa—reported starting their own businesses after their time at EARTH.
EARTH’s academic model was created with the intention of giving EARTH students a background in entrepreneurship, setting alumni up for success post-graduation. “Earth’s curriculum is comprehensive…looking at aspects of social, economic and environmental impact,” says Nakunda. “As graduates, we are always looking at ways to include sustainability aspects in our work.”
Condo describes EARTH University as a “sustainability camp,” where students are expected to integrate sustainable thinking into all facets of their life, both in-and-out of the classroom. As part of EARTH’s learn by doing philosophy, “students, as individuals or in groups, explore problems and become active participants instead of passive receivers of knowledge…taking into consideration each student’s learning style,” Kevin Duffy, Chief Global Development Officer and Executive Director of the EARTH University Foundation, tells Food Tank.
Students are trained to think critically about the context of their farms and optimize resources for cost-efficient, high-knowledge solutions.
“The emphasis on sustainable development helped me develop practical skills in agriculture, community engagement, and project management,” Harriet Cheelo, Agriculture Guide at Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) and 2020 EARTH graduate, tells Food Tank. In her role, Cheelo offers technical support to farmers by merging cultural methods with cost effective innovative technologies to help rural communities build sustainable farming businesses using simple and effective techniques.
“I’m passionate about empowering marginalized young women in Zambia through sustainable agriculture and climate action,” says Cheelo. “I work closely with them, providing training and mentorship to build resilient agribusinesses and promote climate-smart techniques.”
EARTH’s curriculum was always designed with small food producers in mind, says Condo. Various community-focused curricular activities and projects are integrated into the four-year program, where students explore, evaluate, and address local issues. In one example, the Community Scenario program gives senior students the opportunity to pursue a year-long, community development project in collaboration with local actors. These types of activities are designed to promote the importance of participatory processes, equity and inclusion, respect for diversity and cultural perspectives, and value of traditional knowledge, explains Duffy.
Through its different initiatives, EARTH university is continuing to build a strong alumni network that “provides opportunities for professional growth, mentorship, and collaboration,” as well as offers its graduates up-to-date training on agribusiness techniques, says Cheelo.
“The university’s focus on practical skills and social responsibility resonated deeply with me, and I saw how it empowered my fellow students and me to become leaders and change-makers in our communities,” Cheelo tells Food Tank. “EARTH embodies the spirit of Ubuntu—I am because we are.”
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Photo courtesy of EARTH University
