Interview a farmer to find out about sustainability on his farmland.
When you conduct an interview, you should do some research on the topic and plan your questions beforehand.
Below is a guideline to an interview that could be conducted with a farmer about sustainability in agriculture and things that farming does that cares for the environment.
First, find your farmer and set up a time for the interview!
You will read the questions and, as you listen to the answers, make notes or tape the interview so that you can report it later.
Interview script
Greeting and state your name!
Thankyou for agreeing to this interview.
Your name is ……………………….
and you farm in the district of ……………………………………………..
In this Australian Year of the Farmer, I am finding out about sustainability on farmlands. I would like to discuss this with you.
I have two key questions:
1 What do these terms mean to you?
- ‘sustainability’ ……………………………………………………………………
‘sustainable farming’……………………………………………………………
2 Sustainable farming may be done in many ways. What is done on this farm to sustainably
- Grow crops ………………………………………………………………………….………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………
- Grow stock …………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
- Look after native plants and animals
………………………………………………………………….………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………
Deal with any farmland problems (name them, eg soil erosion, salting, pests, drought)
………………………………………………………………………….………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………
Thank you for taking part in this interview.
This is a printer friendly version of this page ‘sustainability in farming‘
This activity could be used as an education activity for learning about agriculture eg for the 2014 International Year of Family Farming, 2012 Australian Year of the Farmer and for the United Nations Decade of Biodiversity.
For more learning activities and refences go to 4learning main page
