AgDiversity, developed in collaboration with the SSFF (School of Sustainable Food and Farming), Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust, AHDB, McDonald's and Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust, is a bespoke online course to raise awareness of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) in British Agriculture.
The course has been created specifically for those involved in agricultural, rural and land-based industries. It is open to anyone wishing to learn more about DEI for a fee of £30.00 – the lowest cost of any openly available course of its kind.
Three modules of bespoke content cover:
- What is diversity, equity and inclusion, and why is it important to British agriculture?
- The mistakes and biases we all make/have and why they matter.
- How to be an ally and practice inclusion in everyday life.
Upon completion, course participants will receive a certificate and have the opportunity to be listed on the AgDiversity participant database.
The NFU is a founding partner of the SSFF, which leads in the development of sustainable farming methods and help British farmers and growers with their pathway to net zero.
For more information, read: The School of Sustainable Food & Farming: nurturing sustainable success
A positive step forward
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said: “The launch of the AgDiversity course is a positive step forward in making British agriculture a more inclusive and welcoming industry.
“Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion is not just a matter of fairness. It’s essential for the future resilience and growth of our sector.
“By raising awareness and providing practical tools to address biases, this initiative will help open doors for a new generation of talent and fresh ideas, ensuring that farming is a career of choice for everyone, regardless of background.”
The challenge and key barriers
Agriculture is one of the least diverse industries in the UK, including ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation and especially in leadership and management roles.
This presents a series of challenges for the industry, most notably when it comes to recruitment and relations with the wider public.
“By raising awareness and providing practical tools to address biases, this initiative will help open doors for a new generation of talent and fresh ideas, ensuring that farming is a career of choice for everyone, regardless of background.”
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos
In his 2021 Nuffield Farming Report, Navaratnam Partheeban OBE NSch said: “Estimates of the numbers of BPOC (Black and People of Colour) people vary between 0.8-1.2% in UK agriculture, in a country where they are estimated to make up 17% of the general population and 33% of all children.”
A key barrier to welcoming more diverse people is a lack of awareness and confidence among those in the industry around how to relate to and communicate with people from different backgrounds.
Many want to reach out but may not know where to start or are afraid of accidentally causing offence. Additionally, new entrants or students from under-represented groups may feel nervous about choosing a farm or other business for work placements.
A positive signal for job seekers
The AgDiversity participant database will serve as a resource for students, job seekers and others to identify farms and businesses that are investing in DEI awareness as a positive signal to those from underrepresented groups in search of a place to work.
Professor Michael Lee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Harper Adams University, said: “A more diverse food and farming sector is a stronger food and farming sector.
“Bringing new faces and fresh thinking into the industry can only be a good thing, and it’s something which drives the work of both the School of Sustainable Food and Farming and Harper Adams University more widely.”