Despite the gloomy predictions about the future of farming, the number of young people planning a career in agriculture has increased by 8 per cent this year. Many were attracted by the new courses on offer.
Figures released by Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, showed that an increasing number of young people are choosing to enter the industry.
It said the total number of students in third level and nationally accredited vocational courses in 10 colleges, was 969, an 8 per cent increase on the previous year.
It said that enrolment in new third level courses, provided jointly by Teagasc colleges and institutes of technology, have increased dramatically.
A total of 317 students accepted Central Applications Office offers for third level certificate and diploma courses in agriculture.
This, according to Mr Paddy Browne, head of education with Teagasc, represented an increase of almost 50 per cent on numbers last year, the first year the courses were introduced.
He said the upgrading of courses to third level status was clearly proving attractive to young people interested in careers in agriculture and horticulture.
He said another positive feature of these new third level courses was that the drop-out rate after year one is less than 5 per cent.
This contrasts with a drop-out rate of close on 30 per cent in all courses in institutes of technology.
Mr Browne said that participation rates in vocational certificate programmes this year was marginally down on last year. A total of 652 students had enrolled in college courses in agriculture, horticulture, horses and forestry.