According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Louisiana ranks third out of 10 states in the nation hit most often by hurricanes and natural disasters.
To help residents of Louisiana be prepared, Extension professionals employed by the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SU Ag Center) developed JAGriculture.
JAGriculture is a Cooperative Extension based program designed to empower communities within every stage and level of a disaster.
The program combines research-based strategies with hands-on learning experiences to help participants build resilience before, during and after emergencies. Through workshops, simulations, and community outreach, JAGriculture equips residents with the knowledge and practical skills needed to safeguard lives, property and livelihoods when disasters strike.
The name JAGriculture is a play on words combining the name of the university’s mascot, “the Jaguar”, and the university’s agricultural land-grant mission.
Krystle J. Allen, Ph.D., community and economic development, family and human sciences program leader for the SU Ag Center leads JAGriculture.
Allen said the project was created in 2018 because of a need to develop an emergency preparedness program in Louisiana. Allen and a team of Extension professionals from the SU Ag Center attended the eXtension Impact Collaborative Conference to help them create the program.
“We attended the Impact Collaborative in Atlanta and went through the Propel Model. From 2018 to late 2019, we worked with the Extension Foundation to add capacity and develop the framework. That’s how we got to where we are today,” Allen said.
Allen said a curriculum was developed to give the program uniformity. The development team consists of Allen as well as SU Ag Center agricultural specialist, Marlin Ford, Ph.D., assistant agent for St. Landry, East and West Baton Rouge Parishes, Angell Jordan, and director of the 1890 Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness & Quality of Life, Kiyana Kelly.
From L-R: Marlin Ford, Ph.D., Kiyana Kelly, Angell Jordan, and Krystle Allen, Ph.D.
JAGriculture development team administers programming during local event.
Some of the topics covered in JAGriculture include family planning, fortifying your home, resiliency strategies and recovery methods, and finding resources. JAGriculture has also expanded its program to cover student safety in emergencies as well.
To make sure this information is shared with families, JAGriculture has a curriculum designed specifically for children. Allen emphasized that often children are the primary source for bringing resiliency education into the home. The curriculum for children provides structured lessons, age-appropriate activities, and evidence-based workshops tailored for diverse audiences—from school classrooms to community groups.
Because many lifelong Louisiana residents have lived through natural disasters and may treat them lightheartedly, a focus on children is a way to reintroduce, or begin to establish preparedness education.
“We get a bit of hesitancy, people feeling like they know it all. It can be a barrier to participation among adults. But children are so excited to get the information and they’re so excited to bring it home. So, we always empower them,” Allen said.
Student participates in hands-on disaster education activity.
For example, one of the questions they tell children to ask their parents is if the house catches fire, where does the family meet up? These types of questions put disaster planning on the minds of the parents. This training occurs with youth groups at local Boys and Girls Clubs, after school programs and youth summer programs.
“We try to make sure that our program is relevant, something they can hold on to,” Allen said, noting that youth will one day be adults and must pass information along to their future families.
In addition to the JAGriculture curriculum, the SU Ag Center also uses their Mobile Technology Center (M-TEC Unit) to travel throughout Louisiana when the power is out after a storm.
“When people have connectivity or infrastructure issues, they can use our mobile unit and complete any necessary paperwork to get assistance,” Allen said.
Furthermore, Allen said the JAGriculture curriculum is also administered to senior citizens. To reach seniors, they share the curriculum at health and community fairs.
JAGriculture was initially funded through the Extension Foundation. The program went on to receive an Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) mini grant for $25,000. To add value to JAGriculture, Allen mentioned conducting evaluations to determine the dollar impact of the program and to continue seeking external funds to add capacity.
Southern University is one of the 1890 Land grant Universities that actively participates in the 1890 EDEN Advisory Group (AG). The 1890 EDEN AG is a collaboration of 1890 Land-grant Universities and EDEN institutions that function within the national EDEN. The 1890 Land-grant Universities are the 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities located primarily in the southern region of the United States. The group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month by Zoom.
For more information about JAGriculture, contact Dr. Krystle Allen at (225) 771-3902 or moc.retnecgaus@nella_eltsyrk. For more information about the 1890 EDEN AG, contact Dr. Noel M. Estwick at ude.umavp@kciwtsemn or 936-261-2526.
