Sustaining an upland agricultural labour force in Cumbria: the fell farming traineeship scheme

One of the biggest issues facing upland agriculture in England is the lack of young people wishing to enter hill farming (Task Force for the Hills, 2001). This paper investigates this issue of labour shortage through the Fell Farming Traineeship Scheme (FFTS), a pilot project devised to alleviate this problem and to ensure that traditional knowledge and skills are perpetuated. Various techniques were employed to measure the effectiveness of the scheme through informal and formal interviews, practical assessments and questionnaire surveys. It was found that trainees were able to develop relevant farming skills, but additional knowledge relating to environmental goals, added value and the wider community needed more consideration.