The agricultural technical engineer, Teno Osorio, is a professor of the middle grade cycle of agroecological production at the IES of Teguise, accompanied by two of his students, Ana and Esteban, and has shared the keys to this educational program with the gastronomic space of Radio Lanzarote Más de Uno Gourmet. The program stands out for its connection with the business world and the high employability of its graduates.
- What programs does IES Teguise have related to agriculture?
At IES Teguise we have the training offer of Agriculture. We have a basic FP for students who have repeated ESO several times and thus obtain a professional certificate level 1. We also have the adapted FP, which is for students who are under 19 years old and with more than 25% disability, where they are prepared to be laborers and workers in the primary sector and for gardening in hotels.
Then we have this year, after being four years without having it, the Middle Grade Cycle of Agroecological Production that has a school duration of two years. These students are prepared to work in the primary sector both in agriculture and livestock and always under the respect of the rules of agroecology.
- This is a training to be an entrepreneur in the primary sector, isn't it?
Yes, all the time, especially the first days of class, I tell my students that they are not going to be farmers or ranchers, but they are going to be entrepreneurs, so the first thing they have to know how to do is to do numbers. Of course they have to know how to cultivate, take care of the animals and do all those tasks, but if we are not able to do numbers we will not know where we are losing money or where we are making money.
- Now that young people are gradually approaching the primary sector, are they also valuing more the work of our parents and grandparents in the field?
I think so, and I think that above all this new generation is different. Five years ago we had the cycle and we had very little demand. The population in general is seeing that we all eat and that it has to be produced. I think the covid was a before and after in our sector.
This year we have had a lot of contact with many older people on the island and both teachers and students are very interested in preserving all that wisdom. I am an agricultural technical engineer, I studied in La Laguna and when I arrived in Lanzarote I spent two years without opening my mouth because I was doing a master's degree thanks to the experience of the people who worked in the field.
- How is the relationship with companies?
We are in direct contact with the business sector. For example, with the Cooperativa de Cochinilla de Mala Guatiza, with which we are seeing how to recover the cultivation of cochineal, which is a bit complicated, and if not, focus on the prickly pear, which is a multi-purpose crop, from which we can obtain the picon figs, the nopalitos that are served to eat as well and then we can make a high quality compost.
Another association with which we collaborate a lot is Papa de Los Valles, 3 years ago we did a trial of varieties and we have just finished now a trial in which we saw the effect of six different types of fertilizers and how they affect the yield. The students have been able to do the whole cycle of cultivation of potatoes, always advised by the Association. This way they have seen which fertilizer is the best and in what dose. We hope to publish the data this summer.
So you also do an R&D service in agriculture...
Yes, I think we do an R&D&I service and on top of that with good connections. We now have another study with SAT El Jable, which is very committed to agroecology, to grow onions in summer in Lanzarote. We have always known the winter onion, but we are seeing if we can meet the needs of the restaurant industry that needs quality and local onions all year round.
- What possibilities does the course give to find a job?
This course has a 100% employability and many people do not believe me. These students who are in first year and still have one year to complete, are working since mid-June with a company in the primary sector in reforestation tasks.
- How can someone register?
There was a pre-registration period in April, but an extraordinary period opens from July 24 to 28, for those who want to sign up. We still have vacancies in our cycle.
- You have come with two of your students, Ana and Esteban, tell us a little bit about how you got to the agroecological production course...
Ana: I am Italian and I came to the island five years ago. I am an oenologist and I was struck by the viticulture of Lanzarote. When I arrived I realized that I had to learn from scratch because everything was totally different from what I had learned. I am very happy with the course because I feel more confident and I have a broader knowledge of the primary sector of the island.
Esteban: I got into it because I like the countryside, I was looking for a module and I couldn't find it. In the last minute before the registration closed, the counselor told me to get in here and I'm liking it, I'm learning a lot.