The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) welcomed Education Minister, Paul Givan, to Bessvale Farm in County Antrim on June 12 as part of the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend schools’ day.
During the visit, the UFU highlighted the importance of expanding the availability of GCSE Agriculture across schools, stressing that greater uptake of the qualification would help address future workforce needs within the agri-food industry, while providing students with practical skills and access to a wide range of career opportunities available within the sector.
UFU president John McLenaghan said, “It was fantastic to welcome more than 1,500 pupils from 48 schools across Northern Ireland to this year’s dedicated schools’ day. I would like to thank farm hosts Jonny and Bobby Tuft for opening the gates of Bessvale Farm and providing young people and the Minister with a valuable opportunity to experience life on a working farm.
“Many children are increasingly disconnected with where their food comes from and initiatives such as BOIOFW dedicated schools’ day play a vital role in bridging that gap. These are the types of core experiences that stay with pupils for years to come. By exploring a real working farm and through engaging with farm hosts, watching live demonstrations and seeing farming in action firsthand, pupils gain a better understanding of the ‘farm-to-fork’ journey and develop a greater appreciation of the work that goes into producing the food they eat every day.”
During the visit, Mr McLenaghan held detailed discussions with the Minister on a number of key UFU agri-education priorities, including:
- The continued development and expansion of agri-education resources for primary school pupils, helping to raise awareness of agriculture and food production from an early age.
- GCSE Agriculture – Recognising its value in providing students with a strong foundation of practical knowledge, technical skills, and an understanding of the wider agri-food industry.
- Strengthening pathways for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) into the agricultural sector.
- Curriculum review.
“I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss a number of important agri-education issues with the Minister. It is vital that young people are introduced to agriculture from an early age, but it is equally important that this engagement continues through GCSE and A-Level. By providing the right resources and educational opportunities at every stage, we can draw young people into pursuing rewarding careers within the agri-food sector.”
Education Minister Paul Givan said, “Visiting Bessvale Farm and meeting with UFU representatives was a fantastic opportunity to hear first-hand about the brilliant work being done bringing agriculture into our classrooms and enhancing agricultural literacy.
“The UFU and Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend continue to do tremendous work in bridging the gap between farming and education, and events like these are invaluable in helping young people understand the farm-to-fork journey and develop a real appreciation for where their food comes from. I look forward to seeing this partnership go from strength to strength.”
Joe McDonald, Head of Corporate Affairs at Asda NI, said, “The Asda team is delighted to sponsor this year’s BOIOFW ‘Know it, grow it, eat it’ schools’ competition. Seeing the winners visit a working farm after their success in the competition was a rewarding full-circle moment.”
The UFU also briefed the Minister on the range of ongoing initiatives as part of UFU’s education commitment, including, Open Farm Weekend schools’ competition and schools’ day, Twinkl NI educational partnership, post-primary agri-schools’ competition, career networking events, in-school agriculture talks, educational videos for primary pupils and a suite of supporting UFU learning resources.
The UFU will continue engaging with the Department of Education, aiming to collaborate on further embedding agri-education into all levels of the curriculum.
