Teagasc urges home farm training

Dublin: The review of the Teagasc education and training provision, which makes 14 key recommendations, was welcomed at an annual training conference in Dublin yesterday for master farmers and hosts.

Director of training in Teagasc, Donal Carey, said one of the recommendations is that the work placement element of agricultural training courses should be shortened in length through the introduction of home farm placement.

“This is in recognition of the needs and demands of both those intending to become full-time farmers and those planning to enter farming on a part-time basis,” he said.

Mr Carey said the work placement would be structured to ensure that students are placed with master farmers who have relevant enterprises and that the timing of placement ensures the optimum opportunity for learning new skills.

Regular support and guidance will be provided to the student during placement to ensure that the learning objectives are achieved.

Students will be brought together on two days per month during the placement period and provided with an opportunity, using a discussion group format, to debate time-critical farm management issues.

As well as completing the six-month placement on a host farm, students will complete a 12-month placement on their home farm.

Recognising the valuable contribution that master farmers and hosts make to agricultural training, Mr Carey said Teagasc would evaluate the teaching skill of hosts together with the efficiency and safety standards of the farm business.