Japanese students to Mid Canterbury region

In February a group of Japanese students will make their way to Mid Canterbury for a farm-stay experience.

The students, five male and 13 female from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology will spend a few days at Lincoln University, before embarking on a 10-day farm experience in the greater Rakaia area.

NZ Study Careers, New Zealand team manager Jo Taylor said it will be a great chance for the students to learn about farming in New Zealand.

“In Japan the farms are much smaller so there are fewer opportunities for these students, but there is still the same amount of interest in agriculture studies,” Taylor said.

In Japan a big farm would be considered 200 cows, much smaller than the average New Zealand farm size.

While the students are studying at the university, they are in a range of disciplines, not all directly related to being on farm, with some vets, and technology students.

“These students will not be on the farm as workers, more as observers. They are able to assist by joining in, but their main focus would be more on learning and observing the farm life and culture.”

This would be the first time NZ Study Careers had run a farm-stay experience having previously brought in students to Rolleston High School as part of a school exchange.

NZ Study Careers is part of the Black Origin Group, which exports high quality Wagyu from farms across New Zealand to the international market which started with Japan in 2019.

“Our director (Arato Tsujino) is Japanese and he has a strong interest in education and bringing Japan’s students and workers to New Zealand for training,” Taylor said.

“We’d like to think that once the stu- dents have completed the farm-stays they may consider coming back to New Zealand to work one day.”

Taylor said once they complete this first programme they will have a much better idea of anything that needs improving or changing for the future. With the plan to bring more students and some workers into New Zealand potentially for much longer periods.

Farms can be of any size and type –dairy, sheep, cropping, market gardening etc. and hosts can accommodate one to three students (in separate bedrooms) as suitable. Location can be anywhere in the Selwyn area, as long as hosts can pick up and drop off students in the Rakaia township.

If you want more information, or to register interest, please contact info@nzstudycareers.com or call Jo on 0272714066 (please leave a message if no answer and they will reply asap).

Please note that all farm-stay hosts will be interviewed prior to make sure they match the students with suitable and compatible hosts.