The Red Meat Institute for Transformation and Enterprise Development’s (RMITED) CEO Helene Pheiffer emphasises the significance of training quality in equipping farmers with the essential skills and knowledge required for their success and sustainability in the red meat industry.
In today’s ever-evolving agricultural landscape, farmers face numerous challenges that demand constant adaption and the acquisition of new skills.
To address this critical need, the primary cluster of the red meat industry established the Red Meat Institute for Transformation and Enterprise Development (RMITED) to provide high-quality training that encompasses various agricultural disciplines to ensure that farmers receive the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive and survive in the industry.
The power of training
We delve into the core aspects of the quality of training and how it plays a pivotal role in transforming and empowering farmers in the red meat industry.
Quality of training is not just a goal of the RMITED, it’s a core part of our methodology. Commitment to quality is driven by the imperative to align our training programs with industry needs, whilst the Agricultural and Agri-Processing Master Plan, the Red Meat Industry Strategy for 2030 and the AgriSeta Red Meat Sector Skills Plan are the cornerstones that the RMITED uses as guides for training offerings.
These plans are the result of extensive research processes and environmental impact analyses on the agricultural sector. The RMITED’s partnerships with industry stakeholders also ensure that our training is relevant to the industry’s demands, needs and future.
A perfect blend of theory and practice
The RMITED’s training is a perfect blend of theory and practice. While theory is essential for understanding the fundamentals, practical experience is crucial for skills development and the application of the concepts.
Farmers have different needs and schedules and therefore the RMITED offers both formal and informal training options. Formal training is linked to accredited training modules, mandatory notional hours and formal theoretical and practical assessments.
Informal training focuses on unstructured information sharing during farmers’ days, webinars and farm visits or through our social media platform and available information booklets. The RMITED also presents short courses that are designed to equip farmers with specific expertise for immediate challenges.
How it works
Quality training, in the RMITED’s perspective, is a dynamic and multifaceted process aimed at delivering value, competence and positive outcomes for participants.
The RMITED ensures this through clear learning objectives, well-organised training materials and experienced training facilitators who understand farmers’ unique needs and encourage class interaction. Effective assessment methods, including formative assessments during the training and summative assessments at the end, help gauge participants’ understanding and progress.
Training and enhanced practices go hand-in-hand
RMITED values constructive feedback as an opportunity for continuous improvement. Outcomes of training are measured through on-farm impact assessments, which are based on production performance, ensuring that training directly translates to enhanced agricultural practices and productivity.
Through our quality training, we strive to foster agricultural excellence and ensure the sustainability of the industry. For more information on the RMITED training scope and courses visit our website and follow our Facebook page RMITED Institute for Transformation and Enterprise Development to be updated on all our learning opportunities and activities.
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