LOXTON High School will establish a greenhouse with a range of technology to help monitor plant growth in a sustainable manner, thanks to support from a local business.
Loxton’s CMV Group partnered with Schools Plus – a national not-for-profit organisation connecting schools with communities and donors – to support the use and understanding of technology in agriculture for students.
Students will be encouraged to develop their own sensors for use in the agricultural industry and gain skills to support both their own career opportunities and expertise for employers within the local vicinity.
Loxton High School principal David Garrett said vocational opportunities in schools benefit both students and the community.
“Loxton High School already has strong agriculture and business and innovation programs but this grant and partnership with a significant Riverland business and employer will provide our students with hands-on learning opportunities using significant and emerging technologies,” he said.
“We will be able to introduce robotics and sensor technology with a strong industry focus into our agriculture programs.
“This will help our students to understand where ag tech industries are heading, develop relevant, practical and problem-solving skills, and prepare them for employment in regional industries.”
Loxton High School agriculture teacher Justine Fogden said she was “excited” for what lay ahead.
“Receiving the grant was amazing and we’re now currently deciding on the best greenhouse to get for our school,” she said.
“We’ve received our FarmBot kit already and we’re slowly working with the robotics class to put it together. It’s a great innovation opportunity and the FarmBot will help us grow our vegies, research and experiment.”
CMV Farms managing director David Crawford said the company prides itself on its commitment to upskilling the agriculture industry and engaging modern technology and practices to safeguard the future of local agricultural businesses.
“I’m excited by the prospect that local employers, just like us, will benefit from initiatives such as this one being implemented at Loxton High School,” he said.
“It means the students, who are the workforce of the future, will come better equipped with the knowledge and technical skills that will see them immediately contribute to the growth of the local agricultural industry.”