Sustainable Rural Development Programme

Media release: NorthTec’s sustainable rural development programme leads to sustainable local jobs

Students who complete the Sustainable Rural Development certificate (level 3) with NorthTec tutor Chris McIvor next semester will be well-placed for self-employment and to work for local businesses in the primary sector.

Chris will be offering papers in natural animal health, planning and planting a home orchard, pruning, grafting and training and a practical project paper from her lifestyle block near Kaiwaka and NorthTec’s site in Wellsford, and said that students on her course will be provided with the skills that will enable them to make a living meeting the demands of the burgeoning organics industry.

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“There is a real market for supplying farmers’ markets and organics shops. Suppliers get huge premiums on organic produce and there’s not enough supply to meet demand. There is a new organic shop that’s opened in Maungaturoto, for example, that’s crying out for local suppliers. With a little bit of land and the skills learnt on this programme people can earn quite a bit of income.”

One of the students who will be doing a paper on ‘managing organic systems’ that Chris will be delivering at NorthTec’s Wellsford site next semester, aims to set up a commercial orchard on her own property. “There is a great potential to be self-employed using the skills from the sustainable rural development programme.”

The skills Chris teaches are also transferable for people looking to get jobs in related businesses in the primary industries sector. “Students gain a range of skills and experience using different equipment on the programme. This shows students are motivated to learn and are able to handle equipment. Students also do self-directed projects which demonstrates their ability to run trials and projects – this is a skill that many employers find useful.”

Students will learn how to manage their orchard and animals in an environmentally friendly manner and will learn basic animal care and about natural remedies to maintain animal health, including herbal, homeopathic and organic methods.

“Orchard management is covered from start to finish – planning, choosing, planting and maintaining the trees is followed up by practice with pruning, training and grafting.

Students also have the opportunity to be supported to complete a home-based project related to these topics.”

Chris is a living example of how to make a living from organics. She has a certified organic farm with 38 goats and makes cheeses from the milk produced on her farm.

“We have a new orchard area here for students to practice on and a classroom area on-site.”

The sustainable rural development (level 3) programme runs from Chris’ Kaiwaka lifestyle block from 19 July to 26 November on Monday and Wednesday from 9am – 3pm, with school holiday breaks. Fees are $281.25 (or approximately $70.30 per paper).

Chris will be delivering the ‘managing organic systems’ paper from NorthTec’s Wellsford site from 9am-3pm every Thursday in semester two as part of the Certificate in Sustainable Rural Development (level 4) that is offered there. Papers offered at the Wellsford site also include ecology and pruning, training and grafting.

Please phone NorthTec on 0800 804678 for more information about sustainable rural development and horticulture programmes on offer in semester two.

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

ENDS

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