Teaching and training in the sphere of forages. Problems to be treated and analysis of current practices
Résumé
Among the various subjects taught in agricultural schools, those that deal with forages are analysed : they are rarely mentioned among the sciences related to plants and to the environment. It may nevertheless be hoped that the renovated programmes will evidence a more inclusive approach, conciliating the various problems. The forages, both annual and perennial, situated on the interface of plants and animals, are at the centre of socio-economic and environmental problems that concern whole territories. This complexity makes it difficult to train the young people who will be to-morrow's actors in the forage production. Agricultural teaching has to integrate these new problems in the trainings and help the teachers to solve them. An enquiry made among teachers shows that the subjects on the plant/animal interface are treated in studies of actual examples. The available documents and teaching tools are described in detail. The diversity of the problems involved in the study of forages is both an asset for teaching (a theme may be approached by various branches of knowledge) and a difficulty (a risk of dispersion exists, and the continuity among the various subjects taught is difficult to make clear).