I didn't have any doubts about coming
here, because of the amount of farmers in
Zimbabwe, they kept saying go to the
Royal Agriculture University. Not only have
I met really fantastic friends, but I
feel like I've made some good contacts
here. The common aim with our courses, is
to set the bigger picture of the
environment being the area in which we
must all operate. It's all about giving
different experience, of different
farming systems, under different
environmental challenges and conditions.
What are the linkages? What are the
trade-offs, between food production,
agriculture and the environment? I think
that's what I like it so much, it's very
much a discussion, so you get really
involved and everybody says their
opinion, and their insights, and it's
really interesting.
The style of teaching here, is a real
blend of academic, applied, and practical.
You just get to go out and work with
different conservation
organisations, that's what's really
important, talking to different people.
It's a great opportunity, for me to
understand the in situ and ex situ
conservation. The value, from the students
point of view, is trying to give them a
different definition of farming and
agriculture. It's not all about output,
it's about enhancing the environment.
It shows that there's ways of making money,
and ways of making a business work which,
aren't necessarily how you've been brought up with.
If people are interested specifically, in
a more practical career at the start,
then we have a rural skill centre, we
have bursaries, where they can develop
their skills passport. Having a
qualification, such as a chainsaw LANTRA,
going into the land-based sector they're
absolutely crucial, in identifying you as
a useful employee. We are trying to
educate, enhance their professionalism,
integrate them into the industry and
make them feel like they are open to every
challenge that society can throw at them.
The facilities here are fantastic, they have a laboratory which we use for seed sampling.
You learn everything about
tractors, the balers, combine harvesters,
exactly what you need to know. The
opportunity for young people that are
coming onto these courses is that they
will be part of the solutions.
After university it's a firm plan, to use what I've learnt here, to do a great job
of farming.
