We need more young people in horticulture and forestry

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The problem with those two sectors, and also with farming, is that the people currently involved in it are getting older by the day and there are not enough youngsters taking up those vocations.

As regards to the horticultural sector this problem has been highlighted in a recent report, entitled “Horticulture Matters”, by the Royal Horticultural Society and presented to the House of Commons on May 14, 2013.

Despite this, however, the British government is all but doing away with horticultural and agricultural studies and qualifications at general school level – as, according to a Minister, like term times based on the old agricultural pattern, they are outdated and academic studies are more important. Beats me where he thinks his food is going to come from. Then again, like most politicians, he does not appear to live in the real world and inhabits another universe.

Regardless of what the Minister may think and others young people, and not just those with bad academic achievements at school, need to be, if their interest is in the field, directed towards a career in horticulture (and agriculture and forestry) rather than being discouraged, as is the current practice, because it looks better in the league tables if people go to university rather than to vocational colleges or, the gods forbid, into apprenticeships in a trade, such as horticulture, agriculture or forestry.

Anyone who works in those trades can vouch for the fact that it is not a trade for the simple minded ones but requires, aside from interest and passion the acquisition of knowledge and that more or less all the working life.

The gardener, farmer and forester, in theory, never learns out as there will be new challenges to be dealt with each and every year, nay almost each and every day. And those trades are not just about working in gardens, on farms or in the woods; there is also plant breeding, diseases of plants and trees, etc. neither knowledge is something that comes to one in one's sleep. It requires constant awareness and study.

The challenges in all three trades, whether horticulture, agriculture or forestry, are immense, especially and including as regards to climate change and diseases that are emerging more than likely due to it.

Horticulture contributes £9 billion to the UK economy each year as an “industry” and I am sure that agriculture does some nice contribution to the UK economy also. Aside from that both, the former to some degree the latter all the way, feed us. But the studies for both are, according to the Minister, outdated.

Aside from that horticulture employs around 300,000 people in the UK, from crop growers and gardeners to scientists and turf specialists.

And this is not considering that horticulture gives us a degree of food security by providing a constant supply of safe and nutritious food. On top of that it is good for the environment in more way than one.

Farming and forestry too are important as without farming we have none of the other foods and without forestry out woodlands and forests would not be managed and fall into disrepair and decline, despite some misguided souls believing that Nature would do it all itself better than we. I have seen Mother Nature's gardening and woodland management and must disagree.

The country's gardeners (and related), farmers and foresters are getting older by the day (well, they would and will) and there are few young people entering the industries as a career. Schools are discouraging youngsters from taking up a vocation in horticulture, agriculture and forestry and this must change or we will be in deep trouble.

Horticulture matters, as does agriculture and forestry and we need new blood in those fields and we need those youngsters to begin training now.

© 2013

Horticulture Matters

'Urgent action needed to rescue horticulture' - RHS calls for government action

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The RHS on May 14, 2013 presented a report to the House of Commons calling for government action to urgently address the skills gap in the horticultural industry.

A survey of 200 horticultural businesses conducted by the Society has demonstrated that more than 70% of horticultural businesses cannot fill skilled vacancies, nearly 20% are forced to recruit overseas and almost 70% claim that career entrants are inadequately prepared for work. This gloomy picture is outlined in the report, Horticulture Matters.

The report, commissioned by Britain’s leading horticultural organizations, including the Institute of Horticulture, British Growers Association, HTA (Horticultural Trades Association) and Lantra, concludes that a commitment to bridging the green skills gap is not only necessary but urgent.

The survey of 200 horticultural businesses confirmed an alarming shortage of skilled professionals in UK horticulture. The Horticulture Matters report, which will be presented to Government at the House of Commons, demonstrates exactly how this skills gap is threatening Britain’s economy, environment and food security.

Dwindling numbers of people with horticultural skills simply means that the industry cannot meet the growing demands placed on it. Horticulture contributes £9 billion to the British economy each year as an industry. It employs 300,000 people including crop growers, gardeners, scientists and turf specialists.

The survey also found that 10% of vacancies take at least one year to fill. More than 80% of the survey respondents cited a poor perception of horticulture in schools and colleges as the issue, and 90% said it was because horticulture lacks career appeal.

Sue Biggs, Director General of the RHS, has stated that growing concern across the industry about the skills crisis has galvanized this unified call for Government action. "We’ve brought together Britain’s leading horticultural organizations to create this report.

"We are unanimous in the belief that there must now be urgent action to save British horticulture and it must happen now. Our report calls on the Government, employers and those in the education system to take action to safeguard the critical role that horticulture plays in Britain today.

"Within the report there are solutions that both the horticultural industry and Government could embrace to safeguard the critical role that horticulture plays in Britain today and must continue to play in the future. We must act now to safeguard the critical role horticulture plays in Britain today and must continue to play in the future."

The report asks Government to prioritize horticulture within Research Council and other government research funding areas to equip Britain with the high level of skilled professionals the UK needs to tackle threats posed by pests and diseases and climate change.

The biggest problem does lie with the school system and that of targets for school in that, instead of allowing students their choice of careers, schools and career advisers withing them – led by targets – channel students towards more academic pursuits telling that the must go to university and discourage them to take up a path in the land-based industries.

It goes equally for horticulture as well as for silviculture, that is to say forestry where there is also a dire need for new blood in order for the industry, especially at roots (pardon the pun) level to continue.

Farming equally sufferers from this lack of new blood even though there are young people interested to take it up, in the same way as there are youngsters who want to go into horticulture and forestry. The problem, however, lies, as already indicated, with the schools and primarily with government not recognizing, despite all the great talk, vocational careers in the land-based sector.

The report can be downloaded from: http://www.rhs.org.uk/Media/PDFs/News/1016-RHS-Hort-Careers-Brochure-AW-low-res-spreads

© 2013