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University of Tropical
Agriculture Foundation -UTA- |
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University of Tropical
Agriculture Foundation -UTA- |
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UTA - The Mission
| The founders of UTA are convinced that, by creating a comprehensive
environmental awareness and a commitment to accepting the evolution towards sustainable
technologies, it is possible to avert the pessimist’s doom-laden environmental
scenarios. Instead we can harness the earth’s considerable
potential to provide the needs for both ourselves and for nature itself. The mission of UTA is to contribute to the education of people to manage natural resources in a way that will sustain the food and energy needs of present and future generations in tropical regions. The founders of UTA believed that an alternative approach to a classical lecture-room based curriculum was needed. UTA provides this alternative, by basing the course on the strong foundation afforded by learning practical skills in a real ‘on-farm’ situation, further building on this by developing research projects where the results have to be applied. UTA believes in selecting its students on the basis of ability and potential thus giving equal opportunities to women and men, young and old. A fundamental part of the strategy is to equip MSc participants with notebook computers and modems so as to cultivate contacts with the leading scientists, each with an established track record in the many varied disciplines that comprise the science of agriculture. The strategy of using computers in this way has the further advantage of empowering the student, fostering self-reliance and increasing their capacity to analyze, theorize, hypothesize and ultimately publicize ideas to the benefit of the wider community. Using the communications technology the students also keep in touch with each other, which facilitates teamwork and other participatory activities. The intended result is greater use of local resources, both local breeds and locally
available feeds and the integration of the family, livestock, soils,
crops, and forestry . This will improve the
everyday livelihoods of the typical small-scale farming household, increase biodiversity,
and help protect the environment - which is notoriously fragile in the tropical ecosystem.
Emphasis on recycling of all residues and byproducts (traditionally called waste)
facilitates the process of integration and enhances the attractiveness of local breeds as
a component of the farming system. |
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