Key Takeaways

• Students from multiple schools explored high-tech agriculture and horticulture at EIT Gisborne’s Ag Hort Day Out.
• The event highlighted career opportunities in the sector, emphasizing the integration of science and technology.
• Attendees participated in hands-on modules, experiencing innovations like drones and laboratory testing.

Innovative Insights at Ag Hort Day Out

Gisborne’s Ag Hort Day Out showcased the evolving landscape of agriculture and horticulture, surprising students with its technology-rich environment. This event attracted 48 students from Gisborne Girls’ and Boys’ High Schools, Wairoa College, Campion College, Sonrise Christian School, and EIT, who engaged in a three-hour expo at the EIT Gisborne Rural Studies Unit.

Hosted by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ On Farm Support team and Sow the Seed, the expo aimed to reveal diverse career pathways in these fields through interactive learning modules. Matiu Bannister, compliance manager at First Fresh, emphasized the sector’s employment potential, urging students to recognize that working in industries producing desirable products ensures job security.

For Campion College careers adviser Sue Peard, the event effectively challenged misconceptions about agricultural careers. EIT lecturer Anastasia Mozhaeva highlighted that many students do not associate agriculture and horticulture with cutting-edge technology. The hands-on experiences were instrumental in grabbing the attention of the attendees, with a focus on how their scientific and mathematical skills could be applied in these areas.

Students had the opportunity to hear from various industry experts, notably during a presentation by Prevar chief executive Tony Martin, who introduced them to an unreleased red-flesh apple variety. Martin explained the fusion of science, genetics, and market research in developing future apple varieties, stressing the importance of student feedback in this process.

Other engaging sessions included topics on honey industry laboratory testing, virtual fencing technology, digital crop monitoring, bacteriophage research, and agricultural drones. Gisborne scientist John Mackay noted that students posed insightful questions about careers in science and the commercialization of innovations.

Inspired by the interactive sessions, Sonrise Christian School student Shawn Soji expressed enthusiasm about integrating his robotics interests with agriculture, saying he never realized such a pathway existed. Likewise, Campion College student Nelis du Preez articulated a desire for a technology-oriented career in agriculture, particularly in enhancing efficiency through drones.

The success of the Gisborne expo follows a similar event in Hastings, which attracted 85 students from 10 schools, indicating a growing interest in the modern agricultural landscape.

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