Abstract:

Some scholars argue that education and training need to be placed at the forefront of the sustainable development. Education is realized to be a mean of enhancing human capacity. Consequently, there is a great demand for education in all aspects of development. Education is an important instrument for the development of individual and societies. It should be used to promote peace, justice, understanding, tolerance and equality for the benefit of present and future generations. Education is a core element of society; In other words, education is a major concern for all societies, the foundation and essential driving force of economic, social, and human development and is at the heart of the change in the areas of science, technology, economics, and culture. Agricultural education for sustainable development in the third millennium is not only option, but this is essential and sensitive process. Nowadays the majority of the world countries, especially developing countries such as Iran, face to environmental problems. Also every damage on natural resources and environment influences on food security. In this relation, agricultural education institutions with diffusion modern technologies in the relation of conservation natural resources and environment, can play important role in this context, so that we can say that agricultural education for sustainable development is safe investment because education in general and agricultural education in particular are essential and important for sustainable development from three aspects: food security, social constancy and support from environment for present and future generations. Iran's economic growth hinges on the development and promotion of a vibrant and sustainable agricultural production base. The prime movers for sustainable agricultural production include: availability of improved technologies, human capital, sustainable growth of biological and natural resource capital, improvement in performance of supporting institutions and favorable economic policy environment. Central to making these components operational is the production of suitable graduates, who are (i) technologically competent and relevant, ii) equipped with the necessary “soft skills” and business skills and (iii) able to work with local and especially rural communities. In this paper we review the current weaknesses in the tertiary agricultural education system and propose the necessary changes to be instituted. To turn the continent around, tertiary agricultural education must be transformed. Issues of faculty retention, institutional management, curricula content and education delivery, urgently require review and re-designing. We demonstrate the “best practices” which if replicated on a wide scale can move the continent in the desired direction. Using systematic approach, revision in structure and programs of agricultural education institutions in order to conservation of environment, consideration to environmental problems and finally education of agricultural instructors are the most important results of this paper.

Keywords:

Education, agricultural education, sustainable development, Iran.