Farmers training their own in IT

By Margaret Hawkins

Farmers training farmers - that is the essence of an IT project funded recently by the Wexford Organisation for Rural Development (WORD), Glanbia and Wexford Creamery. It has also led to the trainers themselves setting up their own business - the Blue Chip Computer Training Network. I went along to the presentation of certificates and the launch of the network in Enniscorthy last week.

"This programme is about empowering farmers with knowledge and skills of computers," said Michael Vaughan, chairman of the Wexford Milk Suppliers Group.

"The success of this project," he said, "should provide others around the country with the opportunity to see what can be achieved in an efficient and practical way. It should also show how LEADER funding can have a positive, practical impact on a large number of rural families."

The idea for the project was simple but innovative. Asked about their needs, milk suppliers expressed interest in developing their knowledge of computers.

Some already had PCs but they were being used only by offspring. Others had farming software but wanted to further develop their knowledge of these programmes. Some hadn't learned how to use the Internet and send e-mail and knew little of word processing or accounts packages.

One-to-one tuition, they believed, would be the most valuable, preferably in their own homes, at a time that fitted in with their farm work. Armed with this information, Wexford Creamery and Glanbia representatives approached WORD to discuss funding of a prospective project. Letters were then sent to all milk suppliers asking if they were interested in becoming either trainers or trainees. Ten farmers with substantial computer knowledge were chosen to become trainers and they were then matched with farming clients. Last week, 128 people received their certificates, some having completed nine hours of training and some 19.

"WORD can't fund any of the main service providers activities like Teagasc as it would be deemed duplicate funding," said Eileen Dake, project officer with WORD.

"The fact that this is an innovative programme with farmers training farmers, on a one-to-one basis, meant that we could get involved. Twenty per cent of dairy farmers in the county took part so it has been a resounding success."

Sixty five per cent of the funding came from WORD with Glanbia, Wexford Creamery and client fees making up the rest. Each farmer was charged a nominal €5 per hour for the training.

But what of the participants - what was their opinion of the course? Nuala Kehoe from Davidstown thought the one-to-one approach was excellent. "Our tutor, Aidan Murphy, came to the house in the evenings when he, and we, had our work done so it fitted in well. The fact that he is a farmer himself meant that he was familiar with the questions we wanted to ask."

Dairy farmers Teresa Roche and Denis O'Brien were both tutored by John Lett from Gorey. "We had agri-software at home and I had done an ECDL course but John showed me easier ways to do things," said Teresa. "Now I can do things like register calf births by e-mail which I hadn't done before," said Teresa.

"I hadn't used the Internet or e-mail," said Denis, "so John brought me up to speed on that. We had a look at word processing and spreadsheet programs as well, in case we needed them."

Aidan Wallace from Wellingtonbridge found the course very valuable but he felt that if it had taken place in a classroom, he probably would not have taken part. "It's because of time, really. It was very handy having Anna Kehoe coming to the house when it suited and having someone teaching you who knew farming on a day-to-day basis."

Owen Stafford, who farms near Rosslare, heard about the course through a farm discussion group. He already had farming software but tutor Anne French, gave him some pointers on it.

"I've started using the cost control plan now, and Word and Excel. In a classroom situation you wouldn't get as much attention. With this course there is no jargon, the trainers are down to earth and you know where they're coming from."

Breda Murphy from Crossabeg agrees.

"With the one-to-one situation you can ask what you want to ask and you don't feel foolish. In a classroom situation you mightn't always speak when you should." She and her husband, John, already had agri-software but wanted to deepen their knowledge of it. Breda's new knowledge is now shared with John, who updates stock records every month.

"You can't deal with any business now unless you know a bit yourself," said Breda. "It was good to have a look at the general computer programs and find simpler ways of doing things."

Billy Whelan from Boolavogue found the flexibility useful.

"If something cropped up, like a cow calving, you could ring the tutor and she'd understand." Billy has already completed the nine-hour course and has signed up for the 19-hour one.

"Now I can keep the stock records on computer and there are less bits of paper to look for and lose. Before this, the children just played on the computer and it wasn't being used to its full potential at all."

Micheal O'Brien from Ballycogley is just starting to use the computer. "It's handy for milk recording as well as stock records. I need to use it for accounts too, though I want to keep it simple. E-mail and the Internet are very handy but I'll have to start practising again before the calving starts."