Over 3,000 leaving cert agricultural science students from across Ireland will next week don their wellies and take to the fields as part of Agri Aware’s Farm Walk and Talk series.

Now in its eleventh year, this initiative has gone from strength to strength in line with the increasing popularity of taking agricultural science for the Leaving Certificate – with some 27% of leaving certificate students sitting the exam in 2018.

The aim of Agri Aware’s Farm Walk and Talk series is to demonstrate the practical elements of modern agriculture to second-level students preparing for their Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science exam.

Speaking at the launch yesterday (Thursday, February 28), the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, said: “Society in general is becoming increasingly detached from the source of their food.”

“It is only through understanding the origin of food that people will value the role of farmers and the importance of this sector to Ireland.”

Minister Creed continued: “It is of particular importance that initiatives like this are run to communicate with a younger audience many of whom are looking to their future, and will indeed be sectoral leaders in years to come.”

The minister wished Agri Aware every success with the initiative.

Agri Aware chairman, Alan Jagoe, added: “Events like this provide thousands of students with an insight into the practicalities of farming and the hard work that farmers do each day.

“We need the educated students of today to become future industry leaders, to build on our exports of over €13.6 billion and to continue to build on our reputation as world-class food producers.

“The event is particularly beneficial for students who don’t come from a farming background,” Jagoe explained.

Kicking off on Monday, March 4, the series will be held over 10 days and venues include Teagasc colleges and research centres across the country and UCD’s Lyon’s Estate.

The model is unique in that it allows students to experience first-hand the work of industry experts and leading academics in a practical environment. From beef genetics to live lambing the students will experience the reality of the subject that they are taught each day in the classroom.

More information on the initiative including venue details and dates is available at agriaware.ie.