Attracting diversity in farming is a passion for Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, who has recently teamed up with Writtle University College (WUC) to launch a New Faces For Farming campaign.
Founder of his self-titled The Black Farmer brand, Mr Emmanuel-Jones was born in Jamaica, moving to the UK after World War II alongside his parents and eight siblings into terraced house in inner-city Birmingham where he grew up.
He says: As a young boy living in inner-city Birmingham and with an interest in farming, it was impossible to find the opportunity to develop this interest. Now, 50 years on nothing has changed.
Many young people interested in food, farming and agriculture do not know where to go to explore and develop their interest.This scheme is the first step in bringing about much needed change.
The campaign is offering an all-expenses paid residential weekend at WUCs countryside campus on October 7-9 which is set tooffer teenagers, aged 16-18, atasteof farm life and is open to anyone in the age bracket with an interest in agriculture.
Mr Emmanuel-Jones says: One of the things I continually preach is how important it is to have dream and it is possible to change from the circumstances you were born into. At the age of 40, I was able to fulfil a life-long dream when I purchased a small farm on the Devon/Cornwall border.
It is my mission to encourage more youth and diversity into farming and agriculture, so to be able to work with WUC on these initiatives is tremendously exciting.
