WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The College of Agriculture’s Urban Agriculture team is launching the online Urban Agriculture Certificate in partnership with Purdue Online, to be offered 100% online. Registration is open, and the “Growing Guide for Healthy Crops” course begins March 16.
Urban agriculture focuses on raising food in urban or suburban areas. These efforts are often launched to help meet the nutritional needs of a community and practiced through such creative means as finding ways to optimize limited space. Cities and towns that support urban agriculture may see increased food security, youth development, small business development, reduced blight in neighborhoods and increased quality of life.
“Urban farmers throughout Indiana are interested in enhancing their farming operations. Purdue Extension’s fully online certificate program provides students the flexibility to earn their certificate from anywhere, anytime,” said Nathan Shoaf, urban agriculture state coordinator for Purdue Extension.
The certificate program will serve Hoosier cities and communities around the country. Purdue Extension educators crafted a curriculum that affords participants a heightened understanding of the challenges urban agriculturalists face, from issues of soil contamination to land access and workforce cultivation.
Students are able to take courses in any order, start at any time and have 60 days to complete each course. The full certificate can be earned within a year. Courses include road map for strong roots, agricultural site design and soil health, site assessment for fertile ground, and growing guide for healthy crops.
Students can register for individual courses or the full certificate at http://www.eventreg.purdue.edu/online/urbanagcert. More information about the program can be found at: https://www.purdue.edu/dffs/urbanag/programs/urban-ag-certificate/.
Writer: Emma Ea Ambrose, 765-494-2406, eeambros@purdue.edu
Source: Nathan Shoaf, 775-496-1930, nlshoafp@purdue.edu
Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;
Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu