Wales YFC launches educational programme for children

A child enjoys the ‘Field to Fork Challenge’, which encourages children to identify the key steps within the food production chain
A child enjoys the ‘Field to Fork Challenge’, which encourages children to identify the key steps within the food production chain

Wales YFC has launched their new agricultural education programme to enable children to learn more about the farm-to-fork process.

The Young Farmers' Club education programme, FARMQUEST, educates children about different farming practices and also the importance of the agricultural industry within the food chain.

With newly designed interactive games and workshops, children were able to get involved and learn about the journey from field to fork.

Some of the activities such as “Field to Fork Challenge” and “From Gate to Plate” enabled children to identify the key steps within the food production chain.

Children also got to learn about different activities that happen each year on the farm along with the different cuts of meat for Beef, Lamb and Pork with brand new interactive jigsaws.

Pedal tractors were also provided by Massey Ferguson and proved successful with some of the younger children that were in attendance at the festival.

Sioned Edwards, Chairman of Events and Marketing at Wales YFC said parents issued good feedback for the new programme.

“The launch of FARMQUEST had been a true success and it was great to see children so eager to get involved and learn more about the agricultural industry,” Ms Edwards said.

'Lack of knowledge'

The Wales YFC programme comes as the industry tries to promote and educate agriculture to the younger generation.

Earlier this year, the NFU said British children have a "huge lack of knowledge" when its comes to knowing how and where their food is produced.

A survey of more than 27,500 children conducted by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) found that nearly a third of children believe cheese comes from plants, tomatoes grow underground and fish fingers are made of chicken.

Recently, TV presenter and farmer Adam Henson launched a national project to enable every school child to know where the food on their plate comes from.

The project, titled ‘Please Sir! Feed Me Truth’ aims to connect and engage the supply chains behind all school food on a child's plate.