A new third level course in Organic Horticulture has been announced. Shane McEntee TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for organic farming and food, has welcomed plans by UCC to develop an outreach third-level programme in Organic Horticultural Crop Production on an estate in West Cork.
(PHOTO: Liss Ard Minister’s visit (L to R) Professor Jones of UCC, Minister of State of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Shane McEntee TD and Roman Stern, owner of Liss Ard estate, Skibberreen, county Cork.)
The proposed MSc in Organic Horticultural Crop Production is expected to be accredited and supported by UCC through the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, which was established in May, 2010.
On a visit to the Liss Ard Estate in the Skibbereen area of West Cork the Minister of State welcomed the proposed course as "a positive step towards providing the levels of expertise needed to develop the organic horticulture sector in Ireland to its full potential".
"The proposed course is scheduled to commence in September, 2012. Initially, an annual intake of 15 students is envisaged," the Minister said.
This MSc programme would be accredited and supported by UCC through the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences .The School was established in May 2010 and is composed of the academic disciplines of Geology, Environmental Science, Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, which are based on a single site in the North Mall Campus.
Current research in the School which would be of particularly relevance to organic horticulture include the use of seaweed extracts for increasing crop yield and disease resistance, plant breeding, biological control of crop pests, optimisation of vermicomposting, use of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment and the use in horticulture of waste streams like shellfish waste, wood ash and potato peel.
The research project element of the MSc programme and the involvement of UCC School of BEES could allow Liss Ard to develop into the first Organic Horticultural Crop Research Centre in Ireland, providing a steady stream of research results of direct relevance to organic growing.
I spoke to IOFGA's development officer Grace Maher about this development: “I would welcome this announcement to develop an Msc in Organic Horticulture as it will lead to more professional organic growers in Ireland. However I would also stress that there is an obvious gap between a qualification at level 6 (which is the highest level currently) and postgraduate level. We need to ensure that a degree is also introduced. I hope that the partnership between Lisard and UCC is a fruitful one”.
She also points out that “It is also essential that a Horticultural Advisor is appointed to provide continued support to professional growers.”
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