Ralph Springett of ReGear Learning, project manager for the Soil, Food and Society resource launched last October (www.soilfoodsociety.online), says feedback from teachers has been extremely positive.
Anders Crofoot, project spokesman, Vice-President of Federated Farmers and Chairman of the Fertiliser Quality Council, says the resource's exploration of the soil system and of plant life as the source of our food takes science learning right back to basics.
"Learning about the soil, its nutrients and how we replace them to help make plants grow is essential to our young students understanding the whole food chain concept.
"Teaching science and science-based thinking to primary students also equips them early on with the useful skills of how to present facts and critical thinking," Mr Crofoot says.
The hope now is to enlist 100 or more educators/teachers in a user group who will engage with the project as it is reviewed and refined for a larger and permanent launch in 2018.
As a mirror to exactly the kinds of difficult debates going on in wider society, by Years 7 and 8, when students are starting to become independent learners, they're asked in a final lesson: "What advice would you give to Parliamentarians, your whanau and others on how to balance environmental needs with the needs of primary producers and how New Zealand earns a living in the world?"
Another resource that is already well-used by schools is DairyNZ's Rosie's Education (www.rosieseducation.co.nz). Featuring Rosie the dairy industry Cowbassador, the site has been developed to increase awareness and understanding of the dairy industry. It's home to curriculum-related teaching units, digital texts and colourful graphics that use dairying as a context for learning.
For example, a nitrogen cycle fact sheet looks at how humans are 3 per cent nitrogen, how nitrogen fixing bacteria are found in soil, water and legumes, and where nitrites and nitrates fit in. Another unit focuses on using creative writing to explore the connection between water and New Zealand identity, and another explores water scarcity and challenges pupils to use future problem solving techniques to think about global solutions.
As befits an organisation set up to add value to the agri-sector by supporting rural youth and "people capability development", Young Farmers NZ is at the forefront of a suite of education and upskilling programmes and activities.
At getahead.co.nz, students can read and view interviews with people working in every spectrum of NZ primary production to find out how they got to where they are.
There are also links to the array of scholarships available - the Primary ITO has estimated more than $3m of agricultural scholarships are on offer each year.
Tertiary students can tap into the RMPP Young Farmers' Red Meat Network, which enables them to establish networks with members of the red meat supply chain while still studying.
The earlier we can open youngsters' eyes to the diverse careers in primary production, the better.
Young Farmers NZ National Business Manager Bronwyn Winchester says with the addition of new branches at Auckland University and Taratahi, the Red Meat Network will this year involve around 200 students at eight hubs. They meet every two months to join in "interactive discussions with high calibre industry speakers" - such as stock managers, international trade envoys, fertiliser company sales and technical staff.
There are now about 100 TeenAg Clubs in secondary schools, fostering a love of outdoor-based activities. Under a Leadership Pathway Programme, coaches develop leaders within TeenAg clubs using modules such as planning an event, communicating for success and leading others.
Those with a competitive bent can take part in regional and national competitions, and perhaps even aspire to the high-profile FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition when they're a bit older.
Ms Winchester says schools enrolled with the AgriKids programme, for pupils up to Year 8, can use the Young Farmers' Boots and All resources and activity suggestions. They also have their own competitions, with fun challenges such as hanging a gate, and educational elements such as identifying animals, seeds and plants, first aid and a quiz.
The latest addition is a schools programme funded by RMMP and nine other industry partners. It's designed to engage primary and secondary pupils in farming, and is now accredited so that older students can study modules and gain NCEA credits.
The resources were trailed in 10 primary and 16 secondary schools last year and now, with NZQA accreditation, Ms Winchester says the target is to get the programmes into 75 secondary schools and 100 primary schools by the end of 2017 and from there springboard into as many schools as possible over the next two or three years.
While there are other agriculture learning modules being taught in schools, what makes the RMMP/Young Farmers scheme unique is that it targets English, Maths and Science pupils.
"Not students studying agriculture necessarily, but the learning is done within a sheep and beef context."
So, for example, there is an agricultural resource for creative writing for NCEA Level One English, and one on genetics for the NCEA Level Two maths statistics programme.
Instead of the data being used having no real New Zealand flavour, the agriculture component is very 'Kiwi'.
"The next lot of resources being developed are in digital technology and business studies," Ms Winchester says. "So you can see we're trying to reach as broad a range of students as we can, across a range of subjects and backgrounds - urban and provincial."
The Boots and All programme for Years 7 and 8, looks at stereotypes and aims to debunk the myths and broaden understanding around the many skills modern farmers need.
For the 10 primary schools in last year's pilot, it ended up with the kids visiting a farm - quite an eye-opener for some of the city pupils.
That sort of opportunity has already been open for the last seven or eight years to about 1000 children around New Zealand. Get Ahead Experience Days involve Young Farmers, Beef + Lamb, Dairy NZ, HortNZ, Ballance and half a dozen other partners hosting 15-minute interactive modules that tell the 'pasture to plate' story while showcasing potential careers, and the science, innovation, technology, and business aspects of primary industries.
"What we're trying to do is show students that whatever they want to do, they can do it in agriculture. If they want to be an engineer, a food technologist, a marketer, they can do it in one of the primary industries," Ms Winchester says.
Would-be engineers might think of hydro dams, buildings and roading projects.
Yet Fonterra employ a large number of engineers.
"It's easy to convince the kids off farms that there's great work in agriculture and the allied sectors but what about all those other kids who don't know about the opportunities with MPI, with Horticulture NZ or on farms.
"That's part of our task."
