Skills programme supports agriculture businesses

A new programme is helping farming businesses in Lancashire to learn new skills and adopt new technologies.

The agriculture project is being run by Myerscough College. It is one of seven projects funded by a £8.4m investment by the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Pilot being managed by The Lancashire Colleges. 

So far, the collaboration between the college and employers has benefited dozens of businesses and enabled the purchase of two new tractors featuring the very latest technology.

The Myerscough Ag Net Zero Challenge is also bringing together the farming community with events and sharing of knowledge and has recently staged four Carbon Farm Roadshows focusing on reducing carbon emissions, safety and technology with more planned in the near future.

Andrea Gardner, head of agricultural projects at Myerscough College, said: "The farming community in Lancashire has responded with real enthusiasm and energy to the opportunities presented by this project. They’re already sharing ideas about how this new technology can be used, the benefits to their own businesses and how they work.

"We are creating a network which can collaborate to help themselves and their communities for the short and longer term and contribute valuable jobs to the economy of Lancashire.”

The Lancashire upskilling project aims to meet the needs of the zero-low carbon economy of the future through a pilot programme delivered by the county’s colleges.

The Lancashire Colleges was chosen by the Department for Education to deliver the SDF Pilot, exploring how education providers can work together more effectively alongside employers and other partners to respond to local skills and innovation priorities as well as tackling the zero-low carbon agenda.

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