New organic training scheme to be available nationwide

A new organisation called NOTS, the National Organic Training Skillnet was launched in Dublin by the Minister for Food and Horticulture Trevor Sargent TD on Tuesday 22^nd April last.

NOTS, which was launched in the European Commission Offices, has a 2 year training budget of �� million.

The programme is a joint venture between IOFGA, The Organic Trust and The Western Organic Network.

The National Organic Training Skillnet builds on the success of the Western Organic Network, which has rolled out training in the west and north west of Ireland to farmers either already involved in or considering converting to organic.

Following a needs analysis and reports into growth blockages in the organic sector, an innovative, affordable and business focused training programme has been developed by NOTS to cater for training needs across Ireland.

The Minister expressed his hope that this new programme would lead to more farmers producing organic food here in Ireland thus contributing to job creation, a reduction in the energy usage and enabling opportunities for both for import substitution and export.

The National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS) based in Drumshambo, Co. Leitrim is managed by a network manger and assisted by two regional co-ordinators representing the South East and South West of Ireland - Paula Pender and

Doloras Keegan. Paula runs Sonas Organic Gardens Carlow, specialising in protected cropping and vegetables,

Dolorus has a long lineage in organics in Ireland. She was integral to the delivery of training in the Organic Centre, Rossinver, Leitrim for many years. She has also been involved in training people in herb and vegetable growing in east Galway and on Inis Mhor with the Garra� na nOile�n initiative.

According to manager Sean McGloin: �The new programme will run to the end of 2009 addressing the practical skills required by organic and aspiring organic operators and also delivering academic courses through distance learning programmes to master�s degree standard�.

�The courses provided are flexible in their geographic location, dates and course duration.�

The courses on offer are literally an A-Z of what people may want in the sector. All production areas from the smallest to the largest will be catered for. The range goes from bee keeping and cheese making to cereal growing and a selection of livestock- orientated trainings, such as veterinary management and grassland and soil management.

Along with this, a suite of business and marketing training will be offered, including accounts, IT, desk top publishing, and marketing itself.

Sean also pointed out that there was a great desire for training in the south and south west. Another change in the training delivery from the previous deliveries with the Western Organic Network will be training for the processing sector.

Larger organic and organic-related businesses, or groups of farmers, may benefit from specialised suites of tailored training to suit their needs.

Steering group chairperson John Brennan said �for the first time, training which has been provided in the West of Ireland is now available in the South, East and Midlands, lack of skills has been identified as a stumbling block to organic farming. This programme should address any training need of both the existing organic sector and those considering converting to organics�.

�I encourage framers and producers to contact the NOTS Management team for further information on training�.

For further information, please contact:

Sean McGloin � Network Manger

The Enterprise Centre, Hill Road, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim

Office Tel: 071 96 40688

Mobile: 086 1728442

Email: info@nots.ie

www.nots.ie