A new farm safety programme, Farm Safe Schools, aims to engage and educate school children to become farm safety ambassadors.

The pilot programme, by Agri Aware, AgriKids and the IFA and supported by FBD Trust, is designed to assist teachers in educating their students about the potential dangers associated with farming and agriculture, and is part of a national strategy, aimed at reducing the number of accidents on farms and in the countryside.

In order to become accredited Farm Safe Schools, teachers must cover three topics in each programme module (two topics for infant classes) and show evidence of learnings achieved for each.

The modules focus on the main farm hazards most pertinent to children including farmer and field safety, animal safety and machinery safety.

There is also an opportunity to win prizes and to become recognised nationally that you are making a positive contribution towards farm safety in the wider, rural community.

Teachers can register their school for the programme at www.farmsafeschools.ie