Associate Dean of learning and teaching with the faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science Ros Gall said if agriculture did not have a presence in the curriculum it ran the risk of students not being aware of it.
“It’s not that we are driving training in production agriculture; there are lots of jobs available in the service sector of agriculture, particularly in regional areas of Victoria,’’ Ms Gall said.
“If there is not some level of inclusion in secondary schools, people are not cognisant of what is available in the industry.
“And there is a high level of skills required in many of those support industries.
“Sure, the provision of specific skills training may be in the purview of the TAFE colleges, but the subjects being studied by secondary students can be extended into the agricultural area,” Ms Gall said.
“I would think that if you were teaching biology, chemistry or physics, you could draw on examples in agriculture.
“Teaching pH values in chemistry for example; you could consider what options farmers have for managing alkalinity or acidity, rather than testing swimming pools.
“And food production starts in the soil.”
Ms Gall said in the study of climate change in geography, ‘’we can see how growing zones are moving south by about 100km. Hotter weather has impacts on milk production in dairy farms.’’
Biology and chemistry are involved in finding answers.
Ms Gall believes there may still be an unfortunate view of farming leftover from the old days where students struggling academically were directed into agriculture.
“Yet we need smart, savvy, technically proficient people moving into the industry.”
10°C