Connected Agricultural Education to Inspire the Next Generation

MEDIA RELEASE

14 November 2024

“Reinvigorating food and fibre education in Australia requires more than updated resources—it calls for long-term investment, collaboration, modern, inclusive and accessible resources that connect with teachers, students, and the Australian curriculum. The next generation of the Australian agriculture workforce is sitting in our classrooms around the country - we can connect them with agriculture if we work together.”

—2023 Nuffield Scholar, Aimee Snowden

Through her Nuffield Australia Scholarship, sponsored by AgriFutures Australia, Aimee Snowden has investigated world-leading food and fibre education models to enhance the agricultural literacy of Australian primary school students in the classroom and beyond. Drawing on inspiring programs across Canada, the United States, the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand, Aimee’s report outlines strategies to create engaging, connected education experiences that showcase Australian agriculture in its entirety—from paddock to plate, field to fabric,  forest to furniture, and ocean to entree.

Aimee at Nuffield Place, UK

Aimee grew up on a mixed farming operation in Tocumwal, New South Wales, centred on irrigated lucerne hay production. She notes the importance of removing sector siloes that treat agriculture as the separate industries we operate in. Her research underscores the need for a connected and collaborative whole-sector approach to food and fibre education in Australia.

“I saw the power of connected models abroad, where resources are frequently updated, aligned with national curricula, and accessible for both teachers and students. They provide an immersive and engaging learning experience, which is essential if we want to inspire the next generation of our agriculture workforce,” she explains.

To gather insights, Aimee travelled extensively joining innovative programs and experts. She explored “Agriculture in the Classroom” in Canada and the United States, including attending the 2023 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference.  In Ireland, she visited the Lidl “Farm-to-Fork” Experience, where students actively explore food production, and in Denmark and the UK, she observed excursions that connect students directly with farming and the whole supply chain.

Lidl "Farm-to-Fork" Experience, Ireland

Aimee’s recommendations include the creation of a centralised, open-access hub of regularly updated and connected resources, tactile learning kits, and professional support for teachers. Her vision calls for long-term investment and partnership from across the agricultural sector to ensure resources are modern, inclusive, and accessible to schools across Australia.

Aimee calls on the industry to engage directly with all audiences, from young and old, noting increasing teacher shortages across Australia. Her report further explores agricultural engagement beyond the classroom including agricultural shows. “It is important that any agricultural engagement activity is representative of our innovative, technologically advanced, sustainable, and thriving socially and economically industry, yet how many activities do we see where children are asked to hand milk a cow?” asks Aimee.

“Today’s students are tomorrow’s consumers, voters, and agricultural advocates. Through modern, collaborative approaches to food and fibre education and engagement we can make agriculture a meaningful part of every student’s life,” Aimee said.

Source: Little BRICK Pastoral

Her report, Connecting Food and Fibre Education Immersive agricultural education models to engage Australian primary school-aged students in the classroom and beyond is now available here.

Aimee presented at the 2024 Nuffield Conference in Launceston, Tasmania and her presentation can be found here.

For further details or to connect with Aimee about her research, visit www.littlebrickpastoral.com or contact Nuffield Australia.