The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has announced the launch of its annual Hermitage Research Facility Schools Plant Science Competition.
Now in its 26th year, the 2022 competition is to focus on agricultural science through the ages.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, Mark Furner said the competition would be themed around First Nations’ 60,000 years of traditional native food knowledge and production systems — combined with 125 years of the DAF’s agricultural science research.
“Students will get hands-on with native food plants, conduct experiments, create native food plant herbariums, carry out a marketing activity, cook with bush tucker and research the science behind using native plants for food production across the world,” Mr Furner said.
“They will use a mobile gaming app to spot and identify pests that impact our precious native plant life and interfere with agricultural production,” he said.
Mr Furner said the competition activities were aligned to the Australian school curriculum, making it easy for teachers to incorporate the competition project into their learning programs.
The Minister said students with a flair for art could also enter the Art in AgRiculTure Awards section.
“The Art in AgRiculTure Awards links art and science in a fun, interesting and creative way to enhance students’ learning of native foods,” he said.
Registrations are open until 31 May for school students to enter this year’s competition, with entries closing on 24 June.
Winners will be announced on 16 August, during National Science Week and further information can be accessed at this PS News link.
