Over 3,000 secondary school students studying agricultural science will take part in the Agri Aware farm walk series this March.

Students will visit a number ofTeagasc farms, UCD's Lyons farm and the Irish Farmers Journal’s Tullamore Farm. The events will take place from 2 to 13 March and this year there will be particular focus on sustainability.

Improving sustainability in Irish agriculture is the key theme of the 2021 agricultural science project and central to the new syllabus. Industry experts will outline how farmers are reducing their carbon footprint and making their farms more environmentally and economically sustainable.

Talks

Dairygold, Glanbia, Aurivo, Arrabawn and Lakeland Dairies will give informative talks on the Irish dairy industry, while Slaney Meats, ABP, Dawn Meats, Kepak and Truly Irish will be on hand to educate students about the Irish meat sector.

Speaking at the launch of the series in UCD Lyons Farm, Agri Aware executive director Marcus O’Halloran said: “As sustainability is a key component of the new agricultural science syllabus we felt it was only right to make it a focus of Agri Aware Farm Walk and Talk 2020 which has become a major event highlight of the agricultural science calendar over the last number of years."

Insight

Agri Aware chair Alan Jagoe added: “We are delighted to host over 3,000 students at these events nationwide which we believe are key to giving young people an accurate insight in to farming and enticing them to consider a career in the diverse Irish agri food sector.

“For many students this will be their first time ever stepping foot on a working farm which will help in increasing awareness of sustainable food production and bridging the gap between young consumers and producers.”

Read more

New CEO for Agri Aware as Deirdre O’Shea departs

‘Everybody needs food to eat three times a day’