Pupils tried tractor driving, sheepdog training, food preparation and wildlife monitoring during the residential (Photo: NFU)
Forty-three school pupils have been given a first-hand look at careers in farming and food production as part of a programme aimed at improving diversity in agriculture.
The Year 9 and 10 pupils travelled to the Peak District for a five-day AgriFuture residential, taking part in practical activities ranging from tractor driving and sheepdog training to food preparation and wildlife monitoring.
The AgriFuture Scholarship Programme is a collaboration between the NFU, British Ethnicity and Diversity Society and Equalinks.
It supports young people from racially marginalised backgrounds through mentoring, residential trips and work placements, with the aim of encouraging a broader range of people to consider careers in agriculture.
The residential, held from 24 to 28 August, began with team-building activities including raft building and zip lining.
Pupils then visited the Adventure Farm Activity Centre, where they took part in a tractor driving experience alongside NFU vice-president Robyn Munt.
They also learned how artificial intelligence is being used to monitor wildlife during a birdsong workshop led by Sophie Constant from the University of Southampton.
Later in the week, the group visited Pye Ash Farm in Cheshire for sheepdog training, wool workshops and practical experience alongside a farm vet.
The pupils also explored the journey from farm to fork through cooking sessions, including butchery with The Halal Butcher and dessert making with Rooji the Foodie.
NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said: “It is fantastic to get young people out on farm and showcase to them the vast range of career opportunities our sector has to offer.”
She said the residential was also intended to help pupils build confidence and develop transferable skills such as teamwork.
Munt added: “Through hands-on experiences like this residential, we are helping the next generation to see themselves working in agriculture while at the same time building confidence and developing other valuable skills for their futures, such as teamwork.”
The programme also seeks to address the lack of ethnic diversity in the sector.
Munt said: “Agriculture is the least ethnically diverse sector in the UK, but we know there is a strong appetite for change.”
She added that programmes such as AgriFuture could help more young people from different backgrounds see farming and food production as realistic career options.
“Programmes like AgriFuture encourage young people from all cultures and backgrounds to consider a future in agriculture, bringing fresh ideas and perspectives that will strengthen the industry for years to come.”