A study produced by a flagship Social Farms & Gardens project has found that there is an increasing interest in commercial growing and demand for local food in Wales.
The new study, titled “Mapping of existing horticulture training provision (and current sector requirements)” was commissioned by LANTRA Wales in partnership with The Landworkers’ Alliance, Cardiff University and Cae Tan CSA and as part of the Building Horticultural Future Farming Skills strand of the Resilient Green Spaces project.
Resilient Green Spaces is a £1.27m partnership project being led by Social Farms & Gardens to pilot alternative re-localised food systems using communities and their green spaces as the driving force for change across Wales until June 2023.
This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. As part of the Building Horticultural Future Farming Skills strand, Cardiff University Sustainable Places Research Institute are countering negative perceptions of careers in horticulture farming through creative engagements with young people.
[PICTURE CREDIT: CAE TAN CSA]
The report summarises the findings from qualitative research conducted in summer 2022 by Miller Research, into skills and training in edible horticulture in Wales. The purpose of the research was to identify existing training in edible horticulture in Wales (both formal and informal) and how this provision fits with current skills needs in the sector, with a view to identifying gaps in provision and future priorities. The report found several trends including an escalating interest in growing commercially and an increased demand for local food. It looked at the impact of labour shortages and the increased interest in organic and regenerative techniques. Other trends were also noted such as people entering the sector with high level qualifications but not specific to horticulture.
Qualitative data revealed the perceived importance of training needs as demonstrated in the table below:
Future priorities were laid out with a key concern; to increase the size of the sector. A critical part to aid this would be to improve access to land. Improved marketing and promotion of the sector and its corresponding qualifications could add value to perceptions. The report also found a need for greater provision of horticulture-based apprenticeships and traineeships.
Please find details of the full report here. For further information on the report, please contact [email protected]
Sgroliwch am y Gymraeg.
Comisiynwyd astudiaeth newydd, o’r enw “Mapio’r ddarpariaeth gyfredol o hyfforddiant garddwriaeth (a gofynion cyfredol y sector)” gan LANTRA Cymru mewn partneriaeth â Chynghrair y Gweithwyr Tir, Prifysgol Caerdydd a Cae Tan CSA ac fel rhan o fel rhan o Adeiladu Llinyn Sgiliau Ffermio Garddwriaethol yn y Dyfodol y prosiect Mannau Gwyrdd Gwydn.
Mae Mannau Gwyrdd Gwydn yn brosiect partneriaeth gwerth £1.27m dan arweiniad Ffermydd a Gerddi Cymdeithasol er mwyn treialu systemau bwyd amgen, sydd wedi’u hail-leoli, gan ddefnyddio mannau gwyrdd fel yr ysgogiad dros newid ledled Cymru hyd at fis Mehefin 2023.
Mae’r prosiect hwn wedi derbyn cyllid drwy Gymunedau Gwledig – Rhaglen Datblygu Gwledig 2014-2020 (Llywodraeth Cymru), a ariennir gan Gronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig a Llywodraeth Cymru. Fel rhan o Adeiladu Llinyn Sgiliau Ffermio Garddwriaethol yn y Dyfodol, mae Sefydliad Ymchwil Lleoedd Cynaliadwy Prifysgol Caerdydd yn mynd i’r afael â chanfyddiadau negyddol o yrfaoedd ym maes ffermio garddwriaeth drwy ymgysylltiadau creadigol â phobl ifanc.
Mae’r adroddiad hwn yn crynhoi’r canfyddiadau o ymchwil ansoddol a gynhaliwyd yn haf 2022 i sgiliau a hyfforddiant mewn garddwriaeth fwytadwy yng Nghymru.
Diben yr ymchwil yw nodi’r hyfforddiant cyfredol mewn garddwriaeth fwytadwy yng Nghymru (ffurfiol ac anffurfiol) a sut mae’r ddarpariaeth hon yn cyd-fynd ag anghenion sgiliau cyfredol yn y sector, gyda’r bwriad o nodi bylchau yn y ddarpariaeth a blaenoriaethau’r dyfodol.
Daeth yr adroddiad o hyd i sawl tueddiad, gan gynnwys diddordeb cynyddol mewn tyfu’n fasnachol a mwy o alw am fwyd lleol. Edrychodd ar effaith prinder llafur a’r diddordeb cynyddol mewn technegau organig ac adfywiol. Nodwyd tueddiadau eraill hefyd, megis pobl sy’n dod i mewn i’r sector gyda chymwysterau lefel uchel ond ddim yn benodol i arddwriaeth.
Datgelodd data ansoddol bwysigrwydd canfyddedig anghenion hyfforddiant fel y dangosir yn y tabl isod:
Cafodd blaenoriaethau’r dyfodol eu gosod gyda phryder allweddol; i gynyddu maint y sector. Rhan hanfodol i gynorthwyo hyn fyddai gwella mynediad i dir.
Gallai gwell marchnata a hyrwyddo’r sector a’i gymwysterau cyfatebol ychwanegu gwerth at ganfyddiadau. Canfu’r adroddiad hefyd fod angen mwy o ddarpariaeth o brentisiaethau a hyfforddiannau sy’n seiliedig ar arddwriaeth.
Gweler manylion yr adroddiad llawn yma. Am fwy o wybodaeth am yr adroddiad, cysylltwch â [email protected]