Staffordshire County Show inspires sustainable farming scholars from Africa
Eleven students from developing countries in Africa attended the Staffordshire County Show recently, where they shared their experiences of agriculture with farmers and agricultural companies. The scholars are undertaking a bespoke 10-week course in sustainable agriculture at Harper Adams University, funded by the Marshal Papworth Fund, an agricultural development charity managed by the East of England Agricultural Society.
The students will return to their communities in Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda, and thanks to the Staffordshire County Show and the people they engaged with there, will now take away learnings on livestock production, how agriculture is run as a business, technology adoption, and also how families are integrated into farming businesses here in the UK.
Bunmi Adeuyi, one of the 11 scholars, is a Coordinator for Marshal Papwoeth Fund partner charity, Sliden Africa, in Nigeria. He said: “Farming in the UK is conducted as a professional business, which is vital for sustaining the agricultural sector. The commitment and pride shown by the farmers and their families that we met at the Staffordshire County Show highlight the importance of treating farming as a serious and rewarding occupation. Furthermore, the integration of families into farming operations not only supports sustainability but also fosters a sense of pride and continuity in agriculture. This model ensures that knowledge and skills are passed down through generations, maintaining the viability of farming businesses.”
Bunmi also noted that he had taken away some key information on livestock production and plans to explore any opportunities to export adaptable livestock breeds and technologies, such as sexed semen, to Nigeria, to help his community in ‘growing out of hunger’, the key aim of the Marshal Papworth Fund scholarships.
Sandra Lauridsen, co-ordinator of the Marshal Papworth Fund, said: “The learnings that Bunmi and his fellow Marshal Papworth Fund scholars have shared since returning from the Staffordshire County Show reinforces our belief that knowledge sharing is so powerful. Whether that is in the classroom, in trial plots with the lecturers at Harper Adams University, in the field with farmers, or talking to exhibitors at agricultural shows, there is a lot to be learnt from each other and we are really looking forward to seeing that new knowledge being put into practice when our students head home to Africa.”
The Marshal Papworth Fund provides scholarships for students from developing countries, including year-long Masters MSc scholarships to leading UK agricultural universities and colleges, and this bespoke 10-week short course, developed with Harper Adams University. By the time that this course completes, 261 students will have been educated at UK agricultural universities as part of the Marshal Papworth Fund scholarship schemes.
To find out more about supporting the Marshal Papworth Fund, please contact Sandra Lauridsen on 01733 961024 or email slauridsen@eastofengland.org.uk for more information. You can also visit our new website at www.marshalpapworth.com
