AHDB and LEAF bridge the gap between education and agriculture

AHDB has collaborated with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) to bring subject curriculums to life through a suite of secondary and A-level resources linking to food production and farming.

Two versions of the resources have been created. One will be used by A-level teachers to aid with curriculum links in schools, and the other will be for farmers engaging young people in hands-on learning experiences on farm visits.

The resources were created as there is a clear gap in educational resources that align agricultural content with curriculum specifications.

The project transforms AHDB’s technical resources into teaching materials, effectively communicating agricultural practices and sector priorities. By focusing on these topics, the resources challenge perceptions of agriculture related to climate change and showcase the industry's proactive sustainability efforts.

Elsa Healey, AHDB Senior Education Manager, said:

“By creating curriculum-linked materials, we aim to address misconceptions about the agricultural sector and showcase its positive environmental impact, innovation and relevance to key societal challenges.

“This effort ensures that students gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of agriculture’s role in today's world.”

This scalable initiative strengthens AHDB’s educational outreach and aligns perfectly with our ongoing mission to increase children's understanding of where their food comes from.

The development of these resources involved close collaboration with the expertise of AHDB sector teams, and LEAF education specialists have played a key role in ensuring the resources meet educational standards and are classroom-ready.

Carl Edwards, LEAF Director, Education and Public Engagement, said:

“This partnership has enabled a new suite of resources that benefit both teachers and farmers, showcasing the direct links between subject curriculums with food, farming and sustainability.

“This in turn benefits the next generation who want to learn more about our sector but, as our research (How do Young People Perceive and Value the Agri-Food Sector) has shown, are rarely given the opportunity to do so. We welcome the opportunity to continue to encourage engagement with our future generations at all ages and subjects.”

The project included piloting the materials in schools, gathering feedback and creating a bespoke landing page on Countryside Classroom to increase visibility and accessibility and create a central hub to access the materials.