January marked the start of a new training journey for 50 students in the Growing Future Farmers (GFF) programme, one that could set them up with a career for life.
Students from around the country kickstarted their GFF studies with four days of basic training and induction activities, a mix of practical and theory work aimed at helping them transition smoothly into two years of on-the-job training.
The Taihape and Hawke's Bay participants rounded off the cohort's big start with an induction at Cabbage Tree Flat Station on January 23, which saw 12 local students come together for vehicle training, health and safety, hauora (wellbeing) workshops and recreational activities at the Waimārama farm.
According to Statistics New Zealand, $12.66 billion of the country's gross domestic product comes from the agricultural industry. In Hawke's Bay alone, agriculture has been among the top three biggest contributors to GDP locally for more than a decade.
This has created high demand for young farmers with core practical skills in the region and the initiative aims to address this need through a comprehensive training programme, which has received just under $900,000 of funding administered by the Provincial Development Unit.
