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Farm Walk & Talk

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.

Introduction

Now in its 13th year, this unique initiative has gone from strength to strength, in line with the ever-increasing popularity of Agricultural Science for the Leaving Certificate – with the number of students rising from 7,987 in 2019 to 8,500 in 2020.

This event series coincides with major recent updates to the Agricultural Science course at second level for the first time in over 40 years. This new syllabus has been rolled out since September 2019. Agri Aware engaged extensively with stakeholders including Agri Aware’s patrons over several years to ensure the new specification was reflective and relevant to today's agri food industry.

Through these events, students are able to gain real-life experiences on working farms and are also able to hear talks from agri-food industry experts and leading academics in a practical environment. From observing cows being milked, comparing different breeds of cattle, examining soil profiles, lamb births, watching piglets suckle and farm safety demonstrations the students get to experience the realities of the subjects that they are taught each day in the classroom.

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In 2020, more than 1,600 Leaving Cert Agricultural Students from over 60 secondary schools nationwide participated in the 'Farm Walk and Talk 2020' over the course of 5 days, which took place in the Teagasc Colleges and Research Farms nationally.

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In 2020, more than 1,600 Leaving Cert Agricultural Students from over 60 secondary schools nationwide participated in the 'Farm Walk and Talk 2020' over the course of 5 days, which took place in the Teagasc Colleges and Research Farms nationally.

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Alan Jagoe
AgriAware Chairman

“Agriculture is hands-on and events like Agri Aware’s Farm Walk and Talk 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.This is why initiatives such as Farm Walk and Talk are of such paramount importance – allowing students to experience the various farming techniques that they read so much about and giving them an opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a working farm, covering topics from soils and fertilisers to silage making and livestock. The event is particularly beneficial for students who don’t come from a farming background”