Thursday, March 28, 2024

Students get a day out on a farm

Avatar photo
A new teaching resource, Bigger and Better, gives school children hands-on discovery days on farms.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Bigger and Better was developed by the Red Meat Profit Partnership, Young Farmers and Core Education to align with the curriculum for years six to eight students.

Classes completing the curriculum can be matched with a local farm so the children can have a first-hand farm experience.

Year seven student Laura Francis of Highlands Intermediate in New Plymouth had never considered a farming career as an option but after a discovery day to MataRata Downs sheep and beef farm she feels excited about all the opportunities the agricultural industry offers. 

“Being on the farm made me realise I would love to be outdoors, feeding the young and working with animals as a future career.

“I always thought that being a farmer only involved cows and lots of cow muck but the trip to MataRata Downs changed that.”

Highlands teacher Tracey McCook says the first-hand experience really ignites the children’s imaginations. 

“When they physically experience a working farm and understand all the different occupations involved with a productive farming business they get really excited.

“Sarah Coogan from MataRata Downs got the students to draw a mind map of all the jobs involved with running a farm and they came up with over 15 separate roles. 

“It definitely gets them thinking.”

Young Farmers primary project manager Deb Kingma is delighted with the uptake of the Bigger and Better programme. “The number of schools that have committed to this initiative is increasing. 

“The aim is to encourage and support the next generation of top talent into the red meat sector and to help them to understand the wealth of career opportunities available and to understand that almost any job you do, you can do in agriculture.” 

Kingma says the support of farmers hosting the schools makes the programme viable. 

“Every farmer who has been approached to be involved in the programme is more than willing to help us. Without their support this wouldn’t be possible. We’re very lucky.”

RMPP project manager Di Falconer sees farmer support to develop a pipeline of youth talent as vital to the future of farming in New Zealand. 

“These programmes are all about creating a sustainable sheep and beef sector where not just rural youth but kids in urban areas are exposed to the diverse career opportunities the industry offers.”

McCook believes the programme is working. 

“Our team leader Dean Hikaka came into class when we got back and asked how many students thought they might like a career in farming and about half of the class put their hands up. 

“He then asked how many had already wanted to and only two students put their hands up so it’s definitely having an impact.” 

Last year 32 schools registered for the 2018 term 1 programme, which will involve about 800 students.

Other RMPP initiatives are also being run in secondary and tertiary institutions to ensure a steady flow of talent is coming through to increase the number of people entering the industry. 

Total
0
Shares
People are also reading