Hundreds of children across the country learn about agriculture in the New Zealand Young Farmers AgriKidsNZ competition supported by Beef + Lamb New Zealand with the first few competitions held in Otago/Southland and Tasman.
The annual New Zealand Young Farmers AgriKidsNZ competition has kicked off in two regions, with another five competitions planned across New Zealand up until April 2022.
The competition aims to excite and stimulate school aged students in both urban and rural settings to learn about the primary sector and where food comes from in a series of challenges.
Primary school kids aged 8 to 13 years’ old are eligible to enter in teams of three with a maximum of eight teams per school.
Membership is free and participation is largely based in the annual fun-filled competition series which runs alongside the FMG Jr Young Farmer Competitions and FMG Young Farmer Contest.
As a proud sponsor of New Zealand Young Farmers, Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) sponsors one of the AgriKidsNZ activities and contributes to the prize pool.
B+LNZ National Extension Programme Manager Olivia Weatherburn attended the Otago/Southland event and facilitated B+LNZ’s activity.
“These competitions are a great way to get kids thinking about the different aspects of agriculture in a fun environment with the hopes of either sparking an interest or deepening a passion for a career in our industry,” says Olivia.
“AgriKidsNZ combines leadership, team building and upskilling into a fun way of learning.
“The kids generally enjoy the practical aspects of farming, so this is an opportunity to also align them with the technical side such as doing some calculations, giving everyone in the team the opportunity to shine.
“Even with masks this year you could hear the giggles and enthusiasm of having fun while learning – and that’s what it’s all about.
"A big thank you to Gallagher for sponsoring the fencing equipment as part of our challenge."
Upcoming dates and locations
Both Otago/Southland and Tasman competitions are completed. See a full list with more information on the AgriKidsNZ website.
- Aorangi (26 February – entries closed)
- Waikato/Bay of Plenty (5 March – entries closed)
- Taranaki/Manawatu (19 March – entries close 6 March)
- East Coast (26 March – entries close 13 March)
- Northern (2 April – entries close 20 March)
More information
Learn more about the AgriKidsNZ 2022 competition on their website.
