University of Arizona receives $650K for youth agricultural technology education

Cacti (careers in ag connectivity, technology, and innovation) will advance USDA afri's food and agricultural non-formaleducation (fane) program by expanding accessible, industry-alignedagtech education and mentorship opportunities for youth in yuma county, Arizona, a national hub for winter specialty crop production. As growers adopt automation, sensors, robotics, digital irrigation systems, and ai-enabled decision tools, regional employers are increasingly concerned about a shortage of workers with skills in digital agronomy, mechatronics, sensing, ai, and data systems. Yet most schools and youth programs lack nonformal or noncredit pathways that prepare young people for these emerging technical roles.cacti addresses this need by creating and piloting modular, non-formal agtech learning experiences in grades 7-12, after-school programs, and 4-h clubs. A multi-tiered mentorship model trains college students through industry engagement and deploys them as near-peer mentors for youth, strengthening workforce readiness and broadening participation in agriculture. Curriculum modules, co-developed with industry partners, will target high-demand agtech competencies and include hands-on kits, field demonstrations, and authentic problem-solving activities connected to the region's high-tech desert agriculture ecosystem.through partnerships among schools, industry leaders, and the University Of Arizona, cacti will expand agricultural literacyand provide experiential and leadership opportunities. Building opportunities, and motivate youth to pursue further education or careers in agriculture and food systems.outcomes: cacti will: (1) identify regional agtech workforce priorities; (2) develop and pilot employer-aligned non-formal agtech modules; (3) build an industry→college→youth mentorship chain; (4) deliver hands-on agtech learning; (5) increase awareness of agtech careers; and (6) strengthen regional educationindustry partnerships.