2,500 students to get a taste of farm life this week

More than 2,500 secondary school students will visit farms run by Teagasc this week in an initiative aimed at giving them a taste of farming.

The ‘Farm Walk and Talk’ initiative has been organised by Agri Aware, the charitable trust that works to improve the understanding of farming and the agri-food industry. Students from 77 schools in both urban and rural areas will see demonstrations of practical farm work and modern agricultural practices.

There has been a jump in the number of students choosing to study agricultural science in secondary schools in recent years.

The number of students sitting the subject at Leaving Certificate level increased from 3,912 in 2006 to 7,912 in 2013. Some 14,200 5th and 6th year students are currently studying agricultural science in Ireland.

The farm visits come as work is underway on updating the agricultural science syllabus for the Leaving Certificate.

Agricultural science teachers had complained it was 40 years out of date before the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment said it was revising it last year.

A new draft syllabus is expected to be ready for public consultation by the end of the year.